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Queen Triggerfish

Queen triggerfish

Balistes vetula

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Fun Facts

A triggerfish's dorsal spines function to lock themselves into rocky crevices at night, not allowing predators to pull them out. The first dorsal spine "locks" and the second dorsal spine "triggers" to unlock the first spine. This is how they get their name, triggerfish!

Species Type:

Fishes

Common Name(s):

Queen triggerfish

Size:

Queen triggerfish can grow up to 2 feet (0.61 meters) long and over 5 pounds (2.3 kilograms).

Diet:

Queen triggerfish feed largely on sea urchins, and also bivalves, macroalgae (seaweed), crabs, sea stars, and other invertebrates.

Range & Habitat:

The queen triggerfish can be found over rocky bottoms and reefs, as well as shallow sandy or grassy areas. They are not usually found more than 100 feet deep. They can be found in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.

Details:

Queen triggerfish have slender, oval shaped bodies with long spines on their dorsal fins. They can range in color from greenish to blue/gray on their backs, and orange/yellow bellies. They have distinctive bright blue bands near their mouths, as well as on their tails.