balloonfish
noun
Meaning
A marine fish capable of inflating its body into a sphere when alarmed, often covered in spines for defense.
Examples
- The diver carefully observed the balloonfish as it expanded to ward off a nearby shark.
- Many species of balloonfish are found in tropical waters where they hide among coral reefs.
Synonyms: pufferfish, blowfish, globefish, tetraodontid