Queen triggerfish
Old wife
Photo Credit: Trevor Meyer (fishbase.us)
Family Triggerfishes
Scientific Family Balistidae
Scientific Name Balistes vetula
Spanish Name Cochino
ITIS# 173139
Tail shape Lunate
Greenish or bluish gray on back, orange-yellow on lower part of head and abdomen, with two broad diagonal curved bright blue bands running from snout to below and in front of pectoral fins, the lowermost continuous with a blue ring around lips; a broad blue bar across caudal peduncle, and blue sub-marginal bands in median fins.
Biology
Found in coral reef environments, near the bottom, from shallow sandy or grassy areas to the upper slope of the reef. Employs different feeding behaviours to capture and manipulate different type of prey, for example, it uses suction feeding to capture worms and other soft prey, while it feeds on crabs and sea urchins by directly biting off parts of the prey.
Appearance
Body Shape
Compressiform
Color
Main Color: Green
Other Color: yellow
Other Color: yellow
Common Body Shape
Flattened side to side
Pattern
Striped
Length
Avg Length: 12 inches (30 cm)
Max Length: 24 inches (60 cm)
Max Length: 24 inches (60 cm)
Maximum Weight
11.9 lbs (5440 g)
Specifications
Handling Concerns
Conservation Concerns
Some decline
Range in USA
MA-TX
Abundance
Uncommon
Other Species from same Family
