tetrodotoxin

Noun

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

a powerful neurotoxin found in the ovaries of pufferfish

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Puffer \Puff"er\, n.

1.One who puffs; one who praises with noisy or extravagant commendation. [1913 Webster]

2.One who is employed by the owner or seller of goods sold at suction to bid up the price; a by-bidder. --Bouvier. [1913 Webster]

3.(Zool.) (a) Any plectognath fish which inflates its body, as the species of Tetrodon and Diodon of the family Tetraodontidae; -- called also blower, puff-fish, swellfish, and globefish. They are highly poisonous due to the presence of glands containing a potent toxin, tetrodotoxin. Nevertheless they are eaten as a delicacy in Japan, being prepared by specially licensed chefs who remove the poison glands. (b) The common, or harbor, porpoise. [1913 Webster]

4.(Dyeing) A kier. [1913 Webster]

Toxin \Tox"in\, Toxine \Tox"ine\, n. [Gr. toxiko`n. See Toxic. ] A poisonous product formed by an organism, such as a pathogenic bacterium, a plant or an animal, usually having a high molecular weight, often a protein or a polysaccharide, but occasionally a low-molecular weight agent such as tetrodotoxin.

blowfish \blow"fish\ n.

1.a fish eaten as a delicacy, especially in Japan. It is highly dangerous because of a potent nerve poison (tetrodotoxin) in its ovaries and liver. Chefs require special training to learn how to remove the poisonous parts, and in Japan they must be licensed.

Note: In Japan it is called fugu. Deaths due to ingestion of the meat of this fish occur almost every year.

Syn: sea squab, puffer, puffer fish. [WordNet 1.5 +PJC]

2.any of numerous marine fishes of the family Tetraodontidae whose elongated spiny body can inflate itself with water or air to form a globe; several species contain tetrodotoxin, a potent nerve poison; they are closely related to spiny puffers.

Syn: puffer, globefish. [WordNet 1.5 +PJC]