porcupine fish
noun
: any of several bony fishes (family Diodontidae) that have sharp spines covering the body and inflate themselves into a sphere when threatened
especially
: a spotted chiefly tropical fish (Diodon hystrix) that is olive to brown above with white below
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This X-ray image shows a porcupine fish in its defensive posture--filled with water or air and deploying sharp spikes--and then in its normal, relaxed state.
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Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 29 June 2010
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Andrew Moseman, Discover Magazine, 29 June 2010
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“Porcupine fish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/porcupine%20fish. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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