I am a globefish. My name reflects my appearance, having a body that I can inflate.
I am a type of porcupine fish – named for the many short and sharp yellow spines over my body. When I feel threatened I can inflate my body by swallowing air or water. This helps me appear much larger to predators and makes my spines rise up in case they try to bite me. Like most porcupine fish, my flesh contains a highly lethal poison.
My teeth are fused together like a beak and can inflict a powerful bite, enough to cut a fishing hook in half.
Image: Carina Gemignani
I am a poor swimmer so I tend to hide around reefs, jetties and in seagrass meadows. In rough seas, some globefish can get washed ashore, and my dried out body and spines can be a most unpleasant surprise for a human’s barefoot.