They display a high level of intelligence for a fish and can learn from previous experiences. Triggerfish are often followed by smaller fish who feast on the leftovers of the reef dwellers attacked by it. Once the sea urchins are flipped over, the triggerfish attack their bellies which are armed with fewer spines. They sandblast their prey by squirting water from their mouths.Ī triggerfish has sharp teeth and jaws that help them in taking on sea urchins. Triggerfish are bottom dwellers who dig out their prey, such as worms and crabs by using their fins to flap away debris. The Red-toothed triggerfish (Odonus niger), feeds primarily on plankton. Some triggerfish also feed on small fishes others like the members of the genus Melichthys, feed on algae. The anatomy of a triggerfish is related to its die that includes slow-moving and bottom-dwelling crustaceans, sea urchins, mollusks, and other echinoderms that are creatures with protective spines and shells. Except for a few species from the genus Xanthichthys, fish from all other species in the triggerfish family are similar in appearance. This phenomenon gives the fish its family name “triggerfish''. It can be unlocked only when the second (trigger ) spine is depressed. The triggerfish erect the first two dorsal spines as a protection strategy against predators: The first (anterior) spine gets locked in place by the erection of the second shorter spine. Each jaw has a row of four teeth on either side and the upper jaw has an extra set of six plate-like pharyngeal teeth. Along with triggerfish, several members of the Tetraodontidae family have this distinct covering of the gill plates. The only gill opening is in the form of a vertical slit that is directly above the pectoral fins. The skin is covered with colorful, rough, and rhomboid scales that create stout armor for their bodies. Triggerfish also have gill plates (opercula), but since they are overlaid by tough skin, they are not visible. It is terminated by very short rays that are the only external evidence of these fins. Most of the two pelvic fins are overlaid by the skin and they are fused to form a single spine. The sickle-shaped caudal fin of triggerfish helps them in escaping predators. This is a distinct characteristic of the species Tetraodontiformes. The anal and posterior dorsal fins can undulate from side to side for providing slow movement and it is the primary mode of propulsion for triggerfish. The first spine is stout and the longest amongst all three. The anterior dorsal fin is made up of a set of three spines that are generally retracted into a groove. The eyes are small and set at the top of the head, far back from the mouth. They have a small but strong-jawed mouth with sharp teeth that are adapted for crushing shells. Triggerfish have a compressed oval-shaped body with a large head. Stone triggerfish (Pseudobalistes naufragium) which is the largest member of the family, reaches up to 1 m (3.3 ft) in size but most triggerfish species grow up to a length of 20 and 50 cm (8–20 in). The Clown triggerfish is one of the most popular aquarium fish because of its beautiful colors. There are about 40 species of triggerfish in the world. Common triggerfish species include the Queen triggerfish (Balistes vetula), which is a tropical Atlantic fish covered with bright blue stripes, and Rhinecanthus aculeatus, which is a grayish, Indo-Pacific fish having patterns of blue, orange, black, and white bands. They can grow about 60 cm (2 feet) long in size. Triggerfish are found among marine plants and reefs. The first spine is large and strong and it can hold the fish in protective crevices when locked upright by the second spine. The first spine is erected and locked in place by the second, which is the trigger, and it must be withdrawn before the first spine is released. They are called triggerfish because of the triggering mechanism that occurs in the first two out of three dorsal fin spines. They have high-set eyes and small mouths. Triggerfishes are colorful with deep bodies covered with large scales. Several species of this fish are popular in the marine aquarium trade but they are known to be notorious and aggressive. They live in shallow, coastal regions, especially the coral reefs, but a few species like the oceanic triggerfish (Canthidermis maculata), are pelagic (freshwater triggerfish) and live in the open waters of the ocean. They belong to the family Balistidae and are found in abundance in the Indo-Pacific region. Triggerfish are species of shallow-water marine fishes found in tropical and subtropical seas worldwide.
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