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A genus of spinose, plectognath fishes, having the teeth of each jaw united into a single beaklike plate. They are able to inflate the body by taking in air or water, and, hence, are called globefishes, swellfishes, etc. fishes, and sea hedgehogs.

Like or pertaining to the genus Diodon. -- n.

A fish of the genus Diodon or the genus Tetraodon, having the power of distending its body by taking air or water into its dilatable esophagus. See Globefish, and Bur fish.

A plectognath fish of the genera Diodon, Tetrodon, and allied genera. The globefishes can suck in water or air and distend the body to a more or less globular form. Called also porcupine fish, and sea hedgehog. See Diodon.

, having the teeth and jaws consolidated into one or two bony plates, on each jaw, as the diodonts and tetradonts. See Bur fish, Globefish, Diodon.

Isabella moth. -- Hedgehog fish (Zoöl.), any spinose plectognath fish, esp. of the genus Diodon; the porcupine fish. -- Hedgehog grass (Bot.), a grass with spiny involucres, growing on sandy shores; burgrass (Cenchrus tribuloides). -- Hedgehog rat (Zoöl.), one of several West Indian rodents, allied to the porcupines…

ish having the body covered with spines which become erect when the body is inflated. See Diodon, and Globefish. -- Porcupine grass (Bot.), a grass (Stipa spartea) with grains bearing a stout twisted awn, which, by coiling and uncoiling through changes in moisture, propels the sharp-pointed and barbellate grain into t…

Any plectognath fish which inflates its body, as the species of Tetrodon and Diodon; -- called also blower, puff-fish, swellfish, and globefish.

Any fish of the genus Diodon, and allied genera, whose body is covered with spines. See Illust. under Diodon.

Any plectognath fish that dilates itself, as the bur fish, puffer, or diodon.

-- so called from its fancied resemblance to the hedgehog. Knight. Urchin fish (Zoöl.), a diodon.