Pukyong National University

PKNU, has revealed secret of Blowfish · Croaker
Results of fishery laboratory research ... presented and awarded at the conference

△ The researchers, Kim Jin-seok (left), Jang Seo-ha. ⓒPhoto by Lee sung-jae (PR team)

Pukyong National University has attracted the attention of the marine biology community by uncovering an unknown 'secret' of Korean Takifugu rubripes and Croaker species.

Researcher Kim Jin-seok (Ph.D., 2 years) at the Pukyong National University's Fish Research Laboratory (adviser Kim Jin-goo) recently announced the results of a taxonomy of Takifugu rubripes in collaboration with the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute.

In this study, researcher Kim confirmed that the Takifugu rubripes, Family Tetraodontidae and Takifugu pseudommus inhabited in Korea are all the same species, with slightly different spot patterns. More than 230 Takifugu rubripes, Family Tetraodontidae, and Takifugu pseudommus were collected and analyzed in 7 regions of Korea, indicating genetic and morphologically the same species.

The researcher Kim said, “At present, the fish market sells a lot of spotted Takifugu rubripes at a much more expensive price than those with little or no spotted Family Tetraodontidae and Takifugu pseudommus." and he added, "We hope this work will help close the price gap that is caused by fish of the same species but just different patterns."

In addition, researcher Jang Seo-ha (Doctoral course, 1 year) in the same laboratory presented a study on 'Characteristics of egg fingerling and larva fishes of Seven species of Sciaenidae'. In this study, Jang confirmed that croaker such as sciaenoid fishes use the southern sea of Korea and the southern sea of Jeju as spawning and breeding grounds.

Researchers Jang said, "The white flower croaker, sciaenoid fishes, and yellow croaker are used for ancestral rites and memorial service table, but so far it is not clear where they were born or grown." and added, "We expect that the results of this study will be used as a resource to protect the croaker resources."

Researchers Kim and Jang presented the results of the research at the Korea Biological Science Association and the Korean Society for the Study of Korean Society in 2019 and won the Best Paper Poster Award. <Pukyong Today>

△ Takifugu rubripes (above), Family Tetraodontidae (middle) and Takifugu pseudommus