The silver puffer is a streamlined, silvery fish that grows to around 60 cm and belongs to the pufferfish family. Found in open water and coastal habitats across tropical and subtropical regions, it typically inhabits depths between 5 and 200 m. When threatened, it inflates its body with water to appear larger—a dramatic defence that makes it instantly recognisable. Like all puffers, it contains tetrodotoxin in its tissues and organs, making it highly poisonous if consumed.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Teleostei
- Order
- Tetraodontiformes
- Family
- Tetraodontidae
- Genus
- Lagocephalus