The Puzzling Puffer Fish: Edible or Deadly? Characteristics and Traits
The puffer fish or Tetraodontidae family, is a group of fish known for its extremely poisonous characteristics. Lagocephalus sceleratus, commonly known as the silver-cheeked frogfish, is part of this family and was first detected in our country’s seas in the early 2000s.
These species are passive poisonous fish, meaning there is no poison in their thorns. When puffer fish feel threatened, they inflate their abdomen like a frog, increasing in size multiple times in order to escape becoming prey.
The chemical tetrodotoxin (TTX) is found in nearly all members of the puffer fish family and is stored in their livers. This poison, which is 1200 times more effective than cyanide, is extremely deadly if consumed, and even touching a puffer fish can result in death. Due to their poisonous flesh, they have no commercial value.
Consuming puffer fish can cause muscle paralysis, shortness of breath, and even lead to circulatory failure. Therefore, caution must be exercised around these fascinating but dangerous fish.
