pear puffer; Takifugu vermicularis
A species of pufferfish. The name is usually written in kana.
The pear puffer is a type of pufferfish that lives in the waters around Japan.
Kanji spelling is rare and mainly used in specialized contexts; the word is usually written in kana.
Katakana spelling is also used, as is common for animal names.
The name likely derives from the pear-like shape or color of the fish (梨, 'pear') combined with 河豚 (fugu, 'pufferfish'). The exact origin is uncertain.