The Ballistic Nature of Costa Rica’s Triggerfish

cover
Inhabiting the worlds tropical and subtropical waters, triggerfish is composed of about 40 species where most of them are brightly colored with distinctive line markings and spots. Built to crush the hard-protective layer of shells, crabs and other crustaceans, their oval-shaped body has a large head with a strong jaw and small eyes positioned at the top of the head.

Ballistic in Behavior and Anatomy

If we are to put a descriptive behavior on this fish, then we can say that they are notoriously ill-tempered. This reef-associated species, averaging 30 to 50 centimeters in length, are highly territorial. Prior to their mating season, male triggerfish migrate to traditional spawning grounds establishing their own and individual territory where some species are known to build a hollow nest. A typical triggerfish territory can hold up to three females where the male can mate with all of them including those females who are just visiting.

After spawning, both the males and the females takes care of their young. The females usually stay near the spawning ground while the male stays farther above the eggs while guarding both the females and the eggs.

Warning: A male triggerfish will viciously defend the nest and can become aggressive against intruders like fishes, crabs and us humans.

Maybe you have heard of someone who was bitten by a triggerfish. Yes, this is true especially when triggerfish are guarding the nest. If you happen to encounter a triggerfish nest, do not go up or ascend as the nest boundary extends upward towards the surface forming like an invisible cone. So the best way is to swim side wards away from the nest.

When triggerfish are threatened, they will erect their two dorsal spines where the first dorsal spine is locked in place. Unlocking the first spine can only be done when the flexible second dorsal spine is depressed during an attack which functions like a trigger, hence its name. So whenever you see a triggerfish with an erected dorsal spine, swim right away from the nest and do not wait for an attack to happen. But do not worry as triggerfish do not have rabies (like when dogs bite humans) or some sort of viral or bacterial transmission. The most you can get out of an attack is a superficial wound, not discounting the protection given by your wetsuit. But still, the experience can be quite embarrassing.

Triggerfish in Costa Rica

Fine-scale Triggerfish (Balistes polylepis)

Max. Length: 76 centimeters
Length at 1st Maturity: 30.9 centimeters
a value: 0.05470
b value: 2.660
Depth Range: 10 – 60 meters (33 – 200 feet)
Frequency: Common, but highly vulnerable to fishing and aquarium fish trade

Photo courtesy from Randal JE

Photo courtesy from Randal JE

The Fine-scale Triggerfish has a compressed body, thick skin and plate-like scale that can easily be seen by the naked eye. One identifying feature of this particular triggerfish is their small mouth with powerful and protruding teeth. They usually occupy the rocky reefs and adjacent sandy areas and feeds primarily on sea urchins, small crustaceans and mollusks.

Queen Triggerfish (Balistes vetula)

Max. Length: 60 centimeters
Length at 1st Maturity: 29.3 centimeters
a value: 0.23280
b value:
2.513
Depth Range: 2 – 275 meters (7 – 900 feet)
Frequency: Common, but highly vulnerable to fishing and aquarium fish trade

Photo courtesy from PetsHome

Photo courtesy from PetsHome

Considered as one of the largest species of triggerfish, the Queen Triggerfish is also known to be one of the most aggressive of its group. But once caught, a queen triggerfish is one of the preferred gastronomic dishes where its meat is highly appreciated for its flavor. But be warned though, the chef preparing the dish should be aware and careful enough in taking out the internal organs, particularly the liver, as toxins may intoxicate the meat if raptured.

Clown triggerfish (Balistoides conspicillum)

Max. Length: 50 centimeters
Length at 1st Maturity: 29 centimeters
a value: 0.02344
b value: 2.95
Depth Range: 1 – 75 meters (3 – 250 feet)
Frequency: Common, but highly vulnerable to fishing and aquarium fish trade

Photo courtesy from Ryan Photographic

Photo courtesy from Ryan Photographic

You can easily identify this species of triggerfish through its large white spots on the belly and black spots with yellow background on the back side of the body. It has a yellow snout with a white to yellowish band across the snout just in front of eyes. They usually thrive in the seaward edges of the reef up to the vertical drop offs of a ledge.

Clown triggerfish are not eaten due to its ciguatera toxicity but unluckily has been harvested from the reef serving as a highly-prized aquarium fish.

Titan Triggerfish (Balistoides viridescens)

Max. Length: 75 centimeters
Length at 1st Maturity: 41.5 centimeters
a value: 0.06960
b value: 2.929
Depth Range: 1 – 50 meters (3 – 165 feet)
Frequency: Common, but vulnerable to fishing

Photo courtesy from carnivora-forum.com

Photo courtesy from carnivora-forum.com

Also called as Giant Triggerfish, the Titan Triggerfish is largest among the triggerfish species where it can grow up to 75 centimeters. Juveniles are often found in branching corals and shallow coral rubbles while adults may come in pair along the seaward side of the reef. Give extra caution and distance if you see a Titan Triggerfish guarding its nest as it will surely attack any intruder. While other species of triggerfish can be cook and eaten, you must be aware that the Titan Triggerfish contains the ciguatera toxin that causes humans to vomit, diarrhea, vertigo and headache.

Rough Triggerfish (Canthidermis maculata)

Max. Length: 50 centimeters
Length at 1st Maturity: 29 centimeters
a value: 0.02344
b value: 2.95
Depth Range: 1 – 110 meters (3 – 330 feet)
Frequency: Common, but highly vulnerable to aquarium fish trade

Photo courtesy from UniProt

Photo courtesy from UniProt

Except in the Mediterranean Sea, Rough Triggerfish can be found in almost all of the world’s tropical marine waters. Belonging to the bigger-sized triggerfish, you can easily identify a Rough triggerfish with its black-colored body surrounded with small white dots. This is one of the species of triggerfish that can be found in huge groups called school. In Costa Rica, you can find a huge school of Rough Triggerfish in Cocos Island.

Ocean Triggerfish (Canthidermis sufflamen)

Max. Length: 65 centimeters
Length at 1st Maturity: 36.6 centimeters
a value: 0.05980
b value: 2.817
Depth Range: 5 – 60 meters (17 – 200 feet)
Frequency: Common, but highly vulnerable to fishing

Photo courtesy from Flickr

Photo courtesy from Flickr

This triggerfish with a dark-colored body can be found in all the world’s tropical waters except in the Mediterranean Sea. Although they thrive in the deeper ledges of the reef, Ocean Triggerfish are found more often in the open ocean taking refuge in floating objects like a clump of Sargassum or commonly called as the Strangled Seaweed. Their long dorsal and anal fins can guide you for easy identification which is considered as the longest among the triggerfish species.

Black Triggerfish (Melichthys niger)

Max. Length: 50 centimeters
Length at 1st Maturity: 29 centimeters
a value: 0.02344
b value: 2.95
Depth Range: 1 – 75 meters (3 – 250 feet)
Frequency: Common, but highly vulnerable to aquarium fish trade

Photo courtesy from Tela Vitae Biodiversity Images

Photo courtesy from Tela Vitae Biodiversity Images

Although they can be found in tropical coral reefs, the Black triggerfish is more common in oceanic islands. They usually occupy the inner and outer crest of the reef where you can sometimes see them swimming towards the surface to feed on microscopic zooplankton. This species of triggerfish can easily be identified through its brown body with black fins and a white lining along the base of its dorsal and anal fins.

Yellow-Margin Triggerfish (Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus)

Max. Length: 60 centimeters
Length at 1st Maturity: 34.4 centimeters
a value: 0.02344
b value: 2.95
Depth Range: 2 – 50 meters (6 – 165 feet)
Frequency: Common, but vulnerable to fishing

Photo courtesy from MitoFish

Photo courtesy from MitoFish

Yellow-margin Triggerfish are often found in reef slope where they feed on coral branches, gastropods, crustaceans and tunicates. During its juvenile stage, they usually stay together forming small aggregations while the adults are usually solitary or in pairs.

You can easily identify the nest of a yellow-margin triggerfish which are situated in sandy areas with a depression measuring 2 meters wide and 0.7 meters deep. Again, take extra precaution and distance when you see their nest as these species of triggerfish are known to attack humans. They have also been reported to contain ciguatera fish toxin.

Stone Triggerfish (Pseudobalistes naufragium)

Max. Length: 100 centimeters
Length at 1st Maturity: 53.5 centimeters
a value: 0.02344
b value: 2.95
Depth Range: 3 – 36 meters (10 – 120 feet)
Frequency: Common, but highly vulnerable to fishing

Photo courtesy from Discover Life

Photo courtesy from Discover Life

Although they can reach up to a meter in length, most of the living specimens today ranges only from 50 to 60 centimeters. Its body is compressed, the skin is thick with plate like scales where some of them are spiny in texture. One easy identifying mark for this species is their protruding teeth where you can often see them taking in and blowing sand out of the mouth.

References

Fishbase: http://www.fishbase.org/summary/Balistes-polylepis.html

video courtesy from Backwater Fly Fishing

Tristan Paylado

a.k.a. TRIX, is a Marine Biologist, CMAS 2 Star Dive Instructor and a proficient writer that thinks like an octopus but acts like an Orca.

You may also like...