Canthidermis

Canthidermis
Canthidermis maculata
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Tetraodontiformes
Family:	Balistidae
Genus:	Canthidermis Swainson, 1839
Species
See text

Canthidermis is a genus of triggerfish of the family Balistidae.

Description

These dark-colored triggerfishes are found in all the world's oceans in tropical and subtropical areas. They are absent in the Mediterranean. Unlike most triggerfish they are epipelagic.

They usually live far away from the coast in the microhabitat created by floating objects like trees, or branches, but also plastic wreck remains, ropes and other large flotsam and jetsam items.

There is still little research on the feeding and reproduction habits of these fishes. They are rarely part of the catch unless the debris around which they live reach some coastal area.^[1]

Species

There are three species^[2]. All are generically known as 'ocean triggerfish', even though one of the species is specifically named so.

• Canthidermis maculata: Spotted oceanic triggerfish (Rough triggerfish)
• Canthidermis macrolepis : Large-scale triggerfish
• Canthidermis sufflamen : Ocean triggerfish

See also

• Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Footnotes

1. ^ Spotted Oceanic Triggerfish - Canthidermis maculata
2. ^ ITIS

External links

• Fishbase
• Flotsam Ichthyofauna in the Tropical Waters of the West Pacific Ocean