Map pufferfish

Photo: Guillaume Amirault · © all rights reserved

The map pufferfish is a large, slow-moving species easily recognised by its intricate labyrinthine skin patterning and yellow-ringed eyes. It is a solitary, benthic species that grazes sponges, tunicates, and algae from hard substrate. At Cap la Houssaye it is commonly encountered wedged into the volcanic archways and overhangs during the day. Like all pufferfish, its internal organs contain tetrodotoxin, one of the most potent neurotoxins in nature.