It is sometimes confused with pufferfish. Porcupine fish are closely related to pufferfishes but porcupine fish have heavier spines. Also unlike the pufferfish, have only a single plate of fused teeth in each upper and lower jaws
A porcupine fish inflates, or puffs up when under the threat and covered with hundreds of prickly spines. If an enemy scares it, the porcupine fish swallows water and blows up like a balloon. Its second line of defence is its sharp teeth. The porcupinefish has two fused teeth in each jaw, making a sharp, bird-like beak with which it crushes hard-shelled prey such as crabs, mollusks and sea urchins.Porcupine fish are about 10 to 12 inches long and live in the warm waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans. These fish eat snails, crabs, and sea urchins.
3 comments:
at: June 21, 2011 at 4:39 AM said...
I have seen these fished up in Queensland. They are so funny, and full of air.
at: June 21, 2011 at 10:42 AM said...
I am so happy,that even at my age,I am being educated by you.
at: June 23, 2011 at 1:40 PM said...
Interesting creatures but have never seen them one in person, only on tv and internet :)
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