A name applied, from their appearance, to several distinct fishes; esp.
a. A swell-fish, or puffer, spec. Tetrodon turgidus, the common puffer of the Atlantic coast of the United States; also other species of Tetrodon of the coasts of Brazil and South Africa. b. The sea-devil, fishing frog, angler, or wide-gab, Lophius piscatorius. c. American, t.-f., the oyster-fish (Sapo of the Portuguese), Batrachus tau, of the Atlantic coast of U.S.A. d. Brazilian t.-f., Chilomycterus geometricus. e. Poisonous t.-f., Thalassophryne, also species of Tetrodon. f. The mouse-fish, Antennarius histrio, or other species of Antennarius.
1612. Capt. Smith, Map Virginia, 15. The Todefish which will swell till it be like to brust, when it commeth into the aire.
a. 1642. Sir W. Monson, Naval Tracts, VI. (1704), 534/1. There are many venomous Fishes upon that Coast [Brazil], as namely the Toad-fish, of a small bigness.
1668. Charleton, Onomast., 130. Rana piscatrix … the Monk, Toad, Nass, or Devil-Fish, or Fishing-Frog.
1704. Petiver, Gazophyl., II. xx. Piscis Brasilianus cornutus. The American Toad-Fish. Ibid. The Brasil Toad-Fish … found on the shores of Brasil, and several other Coasts of the West-Indies.
1736. Gentl. Mag., VI. 618/1. At Powderham, Devonshire, a Toad-Fish was thrown ashore; it is 4 Foot long, has a Head like a Toad,… and the Mouth opens 12 Inches wide.
1816. Tuckey, Narr. Exped. R. Zaire, ii. (1818), 61. The only fish taken since we have been in muddy ground were two toad fish (Diodon) and several eels.
1845. Gosse, Ocean, vii. (1849), 342. The Toad-fishes, or Anglers (Antennarius), whose pectoral and ventral fins have much of the form and also the functions of the feet of a quadruped.
1860. Richardson, in Jrnl. Linn. Soc. (1861), V. 213. The Toad-fish of the Cape is a Diodon.
1860. Jameson, ibid. A poisonous fish, known at the Cape by the name of the Toad- or Bladder-fish.
