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Toxic Toadfish Species Spotted on Crete Beach, Warning Issued

Saturday, 4 July 2026/Source: Google News/1 min read

A father and his 8-year-old child spotted a lagocephalus, also known as a silver-cheeked toadfish, on a beach in the Municipality of Phaistos in southern Crete. This invasive species, originally from the Indo-Pacific, has been spreading across the Mediterranean and is highly toxic if eaten. Its flesh, skin, liver, and gonads contain tetrodotoxin, a potent poison with no antidote. Tourists should not touch or attempt to handle any unfamiliar fish found on beaches or in shallow water. If you see a lagocephalus washed ashore, do not approach it and notify local authorities. The fish poses no danger to swimmers simply through contact in the water, but should never be consumed under any circumstances.

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