Puffer - biology.

Puffer - biology. Puffer, any of about 120 species of fishes that mostly live in tropical seas, but a few occur in fresh or brackish waters. The teeth of the upper and lower jaws are separately fused with a vertical gap in front. Like the related porcupine fish, the puffer uses its beaklike teeth for feeding on corals or hardshelled animals. Puffers are usually about 45 cm (about 18 in) long, although some species are larger. Also called blowfish and globefish, they are named for their habit of inflating themselves with water or air when threatened. Puffers are used as food fishes, but some species are very poisonous unless prepared properly. Scientific classification: Puffers make up the family Tetraodontidae of the order Tetraodontiformes. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.