Spot-fin porcupinefish near Hawaii
© David Fleetham/Visuals Unlimited, Inc.
Spot-fin porcupinefish near Hawaii
Uninflated, the spot-fin porcupinefish has a bulbous head and bulging eyes, giving it a sort of cartoonish look. But it’s no laughing matter when a predator approaches: the porcupinefish inflates itself by drawing in water, which makes the spines that cover its skin stick out. This warning is often enough to startle any attacker. But woe to the sharks and other large fish that decide to take a bite, spines and all. A powerful toxin collects in various organs of the porcupinefish’s body, so if the spines don’t get you, the poison will. Who’s cute now?
Related Images
Atlantic spotted dolphins near Santa Maria Island, Azores, Portugal
Manatee in Crystal River, Florida, United States
Group of giant cuttlefish in Spencer Gulf, off Whyalla, South Australia
Humpback whale mother and calf, Tonga
Crescent-tail bigeye fish in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia
A green sea turtle swims in the Pacific Ocean near the French overseas territory of New Caledonia
California sea lion in a forest of giant kelp, Baja California, Mexico
Mototi octopus, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
Today on Bing
Meerkat family
Jul 03, 2024
A coyote in Banff, Canada
Jul 03, 2023
Red fox
Jul 03, 2022
Wakatobi National Park, Indonesia
Jul 03, 2021
Dove Lake, Hobart, Tasmania
Jul 03, 2020