Threetooth Puffer

Interesting Info

• Threetooth Puffers are primarily found in the tropical and subtropical waters of Australia’s northeastern coast, including areas around the Great Barrier Reef, Torres Strait, and the Gulf of Carpentaria.
• They have distinct physical characteristics that make them easily recognizable. They have a stocky body covered in small, sharp spines. Their coloration varies from light grey to brown, even yellowish and often with darker blotches or spots.
• Threetooth Puffers possess powerful jaws and beak-like teeth that are adapted for crushing the hard shells of their prey. They primarily feed on sea urchins, molluscs, crustaceans, and other small invertebrates.
• When threatened or alarmed, they have the ability to inflate their bodies by rapidly swallowing water or air, making them appear much larger and deterring potential predators.
• They have excellent eyesight and are able to move their eyes independently, allowing them to scan their surroundings for both predators and prey. Despite their puffy appearance, they are relatively agile swimmers. They use their pectoral fins to manoeuvre through the water and can even make short bursts of speed when necessary.
• The scientific name of the Threetooth Puffer, Triodon macropterus, is derived from the Greek words “tri-” (meaning three) and “odon” (meaning tooth), referring to the species’ distinctive three large teeth.
• Threetooth Puffers breed through external fertilisation during the warmer months, with males undergoing physical changes and females releasing eggs into the water. The fertilised eggs hatch into larvae that drift with ocean currents before finding suitable habitats.
• Their estimated lifespan is between 5 – 8 years.