purple puffer; Takifugu porphyreus
A species of pufferfish found in the Northwest Pacific, known for its purple coloration. Used as a food fish in Japan, but requires careful preparation due to toxicity.
The purple puffer is a high-class fish in season during winter.
Purple puffers are often sold at this market.
Katakana spelling is common for this fish name; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling is rare; the fish is normally written in kana.
The name マフグ (真河豚) literally means 'true puffer', using 真 (ma) as a prefix for 'true' or 'genuine'. The derivation is straightforward, but the exact historical origin of the species name is uncertain.