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| Black triggerfish | ||||||||||||||
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| Melichthys niger Bloch, 1786 |
The black triggerfish, Melichthys niger, called Humuhumu'ele'ele in Hawaiian, is a blimp-shaped triggerfish with bright white lines running along its dorsal and anal fins. When in the water, it appears to be completely black. However, if it is taken out and exposed to bright light, one can see that it is actually of a dark-blue/green coloration.
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Range
Circumtropical. Hawaii, up through Polynesia, westward to the East Indies and across the Indian Ocean. The Black triggerfish is also located around the southern coast of Africa.
Habitat
Open waters, shallows, exposed reefs, 5-35 metres (16-115 feet)
Size
On average, 12 inches, although it can grow to be up to 18 inches.
Diet
Omnivorous. Feeds upon small fish and squid. Shrimp, zooplankton, algae, and other marine plant life.
References
- Melichthys niger (TSN 173174). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 24 January 2006.
- "Melichthys niger". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. 10 2005 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2005.
See also
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