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The triggerfish family, Balistidae. was first proposed in 1810 by the French polymath Constantine Samuel Rafinesque. [4] The closest relantives to the triggerfishes are the filefishses belonging to the family Monacanthidae and these two families are sometimes classified together in the suborder Balistoidei, for example in the 5th edition of Fishes of the World. [5]
It has a small second dorsal spine which is used to lock its main spine into an upright position. When sheltering in a small crevice, this locking helps protect the fish against extraction by a predator. The reef triggerfish is characterized by having a noticeably large snout and blue lips that resemble that of a pig’s snout.
Balistes vetula is the type species of the genus Balistes, a name which refers to the first spine of the dorsal fin being locked in place by the erection of the shorter second trigger spine, and unlocked by depressing the second spine. Balistes is taken directly from the Italian pesca ballista, the "crossbow fish".
It is difficult to dislodge from this position. The second spine is connected to the first and when it is depressed, it triggers the unlocking of the first spine. [8] The grey triggerfish is a demersal species and feeds on bottom-dwelling invertebrates such as shrimps, crabs, molluscs, sea urchins, sand dollars, starfish and sea cucumbers. It ...
The orange-lined triggerfish is the only member of the monotypic genus Balistapus, a name which suffixes -a, meaning "without" and pus, which means "foot" onto Balistes, as Park described it as being without pelvic fins, but like all triggerfishes, the pelvic fins are hidden in the skin and joied together to form a spine ending in very short ...
The threat posture includes the triggerfish facing the intruder while holding its first dorsal spine erect. [6] It may also roll onto its side, allowing it a better look at the intruder it perceives as threatening its nest. The titan triggerfish will not always bite, but can swim at snorkellers and divers escorting them out of their territory.
An ocean triggerfish, Canthidermis sufflamen, on display at the New England Aquarium in October 2023. Note the distinguishing black mark at the base of the pectoral fin. The gray triggerfish, Balistes capriscus, is similar in color to the ocean triggerfish but lacks a characteristic black marking at the base of its pectoral fins.
The first long dorsal spine when is erected, it is used to impress an opponent or to avoid a predator to pull it out of its refuge. The clown triggerfish does not enter, or rarely enter other triggerfish’s territories. These fish have also not shown aggression towards other triggerfish, only other species of fish. [11]