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Pesce Palla Faraona - Arothron meleagris
Pesce Palla Mascherato - Arothron diadematus
Pesce Palla stellato - Arothron stellatus
Tetraodontidae is a family of marine and freshwater fish in the order Tetraodontiformes. The family includes many familiar species variously called pufferfish, puffers, balloonfish, blowfish, blowers, blowies, bubblefish, globefish, swellfish, toadfish, toadies, botetes, toadle, honey toads, sugar toads, and sea squab. They are morphologically similar to the closely related porcupinefish, which have large external spines (unlike the thinner, hidden spines of the Tetraodontidae, which are only visible when the fish have puffed up).
pesce palla faraona – Arothron meleagris – guineafowl puffer – intotheblue.it
Tetraodontidae pufferfish Pesce palla www.intotheblue.it
The majority of pufferfish species are toxic, with some among the most poisonous vertebrates in the world. In certain species, the internal organs, such as the liver, and sometimes the skin, contain mucus tetrodotoxin, and are highly toxic to most animals when eaten; nevertheless, the meat of some species is considered a delicacy in Japan (as 河豚, pronounced fugu), Korea (as 복, bok, or 복어, bogeo), and China (as 河豚, hétún) when prepared by specially trained chefs who know which part is safe to eat and in what quantity. Other pufferfish species with nontoxic flesh, such as the northern puffer, Sphoeroides maculatus, of the Chesapeake Bay, are considered a delicacy elsewhere.
Il pesce palla mascherato – The masked puffer – Arothron diadematus – intotheblue.it
Morphology
Pufferfish are typically small to medium in size, although a few species such as the Mbu pufferfish can reach lengths greater than 50 cm (20 in).
Tetraodontiformes, or pufferfish, are most significantly characterized by the beak-like four teeth – hence the name combining the Greek terms “tetra” for four and “odous” for tooth. Each of the top and bottom arches is fused together with a visible midsagittal demarcation, which are used to break apart and consume small crustaceans. The lack of ribs, a pelvis, and pelvic fins are also unique to pufferfish. The notably missing bone and fin features are due to the pufferfish’ specialized defense mechanism, expanding by sucking in water through an oral cavity.
Pufferfish can also have many varied structures of caltrop-like dermal spines, which account for the replacement of typical fish scales, and can range in coverage extent from the entire body, to leaving the frontal surface empty. Tetraodontidae typically have smaller spines than the sister family Diodontidae, with some spines not being visible until inflation.
Starry Toadfish – Stellate puffer – Pesce Palla Stellato – Arothron stellatus – www.intotheblue.it – www.intotheblue.link
Distribution
They are most diverse in the tropics, relatively uncommon in the temperate zone, and completely absent from cold waters.
Natural defense
The puffer’s unique and distinctive natural defenses help compensate for its slow locomotion. It moves by combining pectoral, dorsal, anal, and caudal fin motions. This makes it highly maneuverable, but very slow, so a comparatively easy predation target. Its tail fin is mainly used as a rudder, but it can be used for a sudden evasive burst of speed that shows none of the care and precision of its usual movements. The puffer’s excellent eyesight, combined with this speed burst, is the first and most important defense against predators.
More: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetraodontidae Gallery
Video Gallery https://www.intotheblue.it/2025/07/04/arothron-stellatus/ https://www.intotheblue.it/2021/06/24/pesce-palla-faraona/ https://www.intotheblue.it/2020/05/11/il-pesce-palla-mascherato/
