Balistoides viridiscens

Balistoides viridiscens, (Information about this image)

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Superclassis/Classis: Actinopterygii
Classis/Subclassis: Actinopteri
Subclassis/Infraclassis: Neopterygii
Infraclassis: Teleostei
Megacohors: Osteoglossocephalai
Supercohors: Clupeocephala
Cohors: Euteleosteomorpha
Subcohors: Neoteleostei
Infracohors: Eurypterygia
Sectio: Ctenosquamata
Subsectio: Acanthomorphata
Divisio/Superordo: Acanthopterygii
Subdivisio: Percomorphaceae
Series: Eupercaria
Ordo: Tetraodontiformes

Familia: Balistidae
Genus: Balistoides
Species: Balistoides viridescens
Name

Balistoides viridescens (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Type locality: Mauritius, Mascarenes, southwestern Indian Ocean
Synonyms

Balistes brasiliensis Bloch & Schneider, 1801
Balistes nigromarginatus (Tanaka, 1908)
Balistes viridescens Bloch & Schneider, 1801
Balistoides veridescens (misspelling) (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
Guaperva cinerea Sonnerat, 1774
Guaperva communis Sonnerat, 1774
Pachynathus nigromarginatus Tanaka, 1908
Pseudobalistes viridescens (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

References

Bloch, M.E. & Schneider, J.G. 1801: M. E. Blochii, Systema Ichthyologiae iconibus cx illustratum. Post obitum auctoris opus inchoatum absolvit, correxit, interpolavit Jo. Gottlob Schneider, Saxo. Berolini. Sumtibus Auctoris Impressum et Bibliopolio Sanderiano Commissum.: i-lx + 1-584, Pls. 1-110. BHL
Fraser-Brunner, A. 1935: Notes on the Plectognath fishes.—I. A synopsis of the genera of the family Balistidae. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Series 10 15(90); 658-663. DOI: 10.1080/00222933508655016A
Kyushin, K., K. Amaoka, K. Nakaya, H. Ida, Y. Tanino & T. Senta (eds) 1982: Fishes of the South China Sea. Japan Marine Fishery Resource Research Center.: 1–333, Pls. 1-291.

Links

Balistoides viridescens – Taxon details on Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).
Balistoides viridescens in the World Register of Marine Species
Balistoides viridescens in FishBase,
Froese, R. & Pauly, D. (eds.) 2024. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication, www.fishbase.org, version 02/2024.
Balistoides viridescens in Catalog of Fishes, Eschmeyer, W.N., Fricke, R. & van der Laan, R. (eds.) 2024. Catalog of Fishes electronic version.

Vernacular names
català: Peix ballesta olivaci
Deutsch: Riesen-Drückerfisch
ދިވެހިބަސް: މާ ރޮނޑު
English: Titan triggerfish, bluefin filefish
日本語: ゴマモンガラ
Nederlands: Blauwvin trekkervis
polski: Rogatnica zielonkawa
русский: Голубопёрый балистод
ไทย: ปลาวัวไททัน, ปลาวัวอำมหิต, ปลาวัวหน้าลาย
中文: 绿拟鳞鲀,褐擬鱗魨,胡麻皮剝魨,黃褐砲彈,剝皮魚,褐擬板機魨

The titan triggerfish, giant triggerfish or moustache triggerfish (Balistoides viridescens) is a large species of triggerfish found in lagoons and at reefs to depths of 50 m (160 ft) in most of the Indo-Pacific, though it is absent from Hawaii. With a length of up to 75 centimetres (30 in),[2] it is the largest species of triggerfish in its range (the stone triggerfish, Pseudobalistes naufragium, from the east Pacific is larger).[3]
Behavior
Titan triggerfish with orange-lined triggerfish and moorish idols at the reef of Fihalhohi, Maldives.

The titan triggerfish is diurnal and solitary. It feeds on sea urchins, molluscs, crustaceans, tube worms and coral.[2] It often feeds by turning over rocks, stirring up sand and biting off pieces of branching coral. This is why other smaller fish species are often seen around it, as they feed on the detritus and smaller organisms that are stirred up. Titan triggerfish are one of a number of species of fish which can hunt and eat the crown-of-thorns starfish.[4]

Titan triggerfish have been observed being aggressive to other fish who enter their territory.
Interaction with humans

Though titan triggerfish are usually wary of divers and snorkelers, females can be territorial and aggressive around their nests during the reproduction season, which occurs for about a week in each month (either after the full moon or new moon, depending on the population).[5]

The nest is placed in a flat sandy area, and is defended vigorously against any intruders. The territory around the nest is roughly cone-shaped and divers who accidentally enter it may be attacked. Divers should swim horizontally away from the nest rather than upwards which would only take them further into the territory.[6][7] Although bites are not venomous, the strong teeth can inflict serious injury that may require medical attention.[6][7][8][9]

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.

The flesh of the titan triggerfish is sometimes ciguatoxic.[6][8]
References

Matsuura, K. 2022 (2022). "Balistoides viridescens". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T193639A2251503. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-2.RLTS.T193639A2251503.en. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2010). "Balistoides viridescens" in FishBase. 1 2010 version.
Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2010). "Pseudobalistes naufragium" in FishBase. 1 2010 version.
"Crown Of Thorns Starfish Attacks. | Scuba Diver Mag". 2020-04-10. Retrieved 2024-03-05.
Donaldson, T.J.; Dimalanta, A.G. (2011). "Spatial Distribution and Characterization of the Triggerfish Balistoides viridescens (Balistidae) on a Spawning Aggregation Site at Guam, Mariana Islands". Proceedings of the 64th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute.
Randall, J. E. (2005). Reef and Shore Fishes of the South Pacific. University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 0-8248-2698-1.[page needed]
Randall, J. E.; Millington, J. T. (1 May 1990). "Triggerfish bite – a little-known marine hazard". Journal of Wilderness Medicine. 1 (2): 79–85. doi:10.1580/0953-9859-1.2.79.
Lieske, E., & R. Myers (1999). Coral Reef Fishes. 2nd edition. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-00481-1[page needed]

Debelius, H. (1993). Indian Ocean Tropical Fish Guide. Aquaprint Verlags GmbH. ISBN 3-927991-01-5[page needed]

"Balistoides viridescens". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 24 January 2006.

Fish Images