Habitat: Prefer shallow coastal waters, from Newfoundland to Florida
Diet: Fish, crustaceans, and mollusks
Fun Facts:
- The puffer gets their name from its ability to inflate itself when it’s threatened, which it does by inhaling water or inflating with air, depending on the species
- Northern puffers have strong jaws with a beak-like array of fused teeth which they use to crush and cut the shells and flesh of crustaceans and fish alike
- Though their flesh is not toxic like many species of puffer, its organs are, thanks to the tetrodotoxin contained within