''Canthidermis '' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

triggerfish Triggerfish are about 40 species of often brightly colored marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Balistidae. Often marked by lines and spots, they inhabit tropical and subtropical oceans throughout the world, with the greatest speci ...

es commonly known as ocean triggerfishes.

Species

There are currently 3 recognized species in this genus: * ''

Canthidermis macrolepis ''Canthidermis '' is a genus of triggerfishes commonly known as ocean triggerfishes. Species There are currently 3 recognized species in this genus: * '' Canthidermis macrolepis'' Boulenger, 1888 (Large-scale triggerfish) * '' Canthidermis macu ...

'' Boulenger, 1888 (Large-scale triggerfish) * ''

Canthidermis maculata ''Canthidermis maculata'', also known as rough triggerfish or spotted oceanic triggerfish, is a species of triggerfish native to the tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide. Unlike most triggerfish, they are mostly pelagic. In the Philippines, ...

Bloch Bloch is a surname of German origin. Notable people with this surname include: A *Adele Bloch-Bauer (1881–1925), Austrian entrepreneur *Albert Bloch (1882–1961), American painter *Alexandre Bloch (1857–1919), French painter *Alfred Bloch ( ...

, 1786 (Spotted oceanic triggerfish) * ''

Canthidermis sufflamen ''Canthidermis sufflamen'', the ocean triggerfish, is a species of pelagic triggerfish Triggerfish are about 40 species of often brightly colored marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Balistidae. Often marked by lines and spots, ...

'' Mitchill, 1815 (Ocean Triggerfish)

Description

These dark-colored triggerfishes are found in all the world's oceans in tropical and subtropical areas. They are absent in the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

. Unlike most triggerfish they are

epipelagic The photic zone (or euphotic zone, epipelagic zone, or sunlight zone) is the uppermost layer of a body of water that receives sunlight, allowing phytoplankton to perform photosynthesis. It undergoes a series of physical, chemical, and biological ...

. 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 In maritime law, flotsam'','' jetsam'','' lagan'','' and derelict are terms for various types of property lost or abandoned at sea. The words have specific nautical meanings, with legal consequences in the law of admiralty and marine salvage. A ...

items. There is still little research on the feeding and reproduction habits of these fish. They are rarely part of the catch unless the

marine debris Marine debris, also known as marine litter, is human-created solid material that has deliberately or accidentally been released in seas or the ocean. Floating oceanic debris tends to accumulate at the center of gyres and on coastlines, freque ...

around which they live reaches some coastal area.

References

Balistidae Marine fish genera Taxa named by William Swainson {{triggerfish-stub