Pinktail Triggerfish

Melichthys vidua is a species of triggerfish from reefs in the Indo-Pacific.

Description

Body is an elongate oval, robust, compressed; cheeks without longitudinal grooves; distinct groove before eye and below nostril; mouth small, opens a little above center line, with powerful jaws and 8 heavy, outer teeth on the upper and lower jaws, teeth about even in size, not notched; gill opening a short slit on side before pectoral base; dorsal fin III (1st can be locked erect, 2nd > ½ the size of 1st) + 31-35; anal rays 27-31; anterior rays of second dorsal and anal fins moderately elevated, much longer than posterior rays; pectoral rays 14-16; most rays of dorsal, anal and pectoral fins branched; 8-10 lateral ridges on rear of body and tail base formed by scales with low ridges; caudal fin moderately to strongly concave; pelvic fins externally reduced to 4 pairs of large scales encasing end of pelvis; thick leathery skin, with regularly arranged diagonal scale plates; snout completely scaled; a patch of enlarged scales immediately behind gill opening; lateral line inconspicuous.

Body and head are black to dark yellowish brown; dorsal and anal reddish white with thin black borders; pectoral yellowish; tail fin with base white, outer 2/3 pink.

They can grow up to 40 centimetres (16 in).

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: East Africa south to Durban, South Africa and east to the Hawaiian, Marquesan and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef in Australia and New Caledonia.

Habitat

Occur in seaward reefs to depths greater than 60 m, with rich invertebrate growth. Common in coral-rich areas exposed to currents. Usually at moderate depths in small loose groups. Benthopelagic. Diet consists mainly of algae and detritus but also takes in crustaceans, octopuses, sponges, and fishes. Oviparous.