1. Puffer is the popular name given to about 150 species of fish capable of inflating their bodies when they feel threatened by a predator. Bloating is a defense mechanism for the pufferfish to appear much larger than it is — and thus scare away the enemy.
2. The process begins with the fish swallowing a large amount of water, which is stored in the stomach. As this organ is very elastic, it inflates like a bladder, leaving the puffer fish with a spherical shape and up to three times its normal size!
3. As it also has super-elastic skin, the puffer fish does not “tear” when it swells. Another adaptable body part is your spine: flexible, it can bend to follow your new body shape
4. When the pufferfish already has a “full tank”, a valve located at the base of the fish’s mouth is pushed towards the teeth. Thus, it closes the outlet for water stored in the stomach.
5. Some species have spines on their skin that become more visible and threatening when the animal inflates. This also helps to intimidate the predator and makes the puffer fish look like a prehistoric monster!
Another curious feature of puffer fish is that many are poisonous. Their flesh contains a highly toxic substance, tetrodotoxin. Just 2 grams of it is enough to kill a person! The poison is concentrated in the skin and organs of the fish. Even so, puffer fish is a delicacy enjoyed in Japan, where it is known as “fugu”.
In order not to intoxicate the customers, the cooks need to clean the animal with a very precise technique, removing the poisonous parts. Even the edible pieces still have traces of the poison, leaving the tongue numb and having a mild narcotic effect.