Lactophrys and Balistes

Lactophrys tricornis (Swainson 1839, originally Ostracion tricornis Linneaus 1758) is the extant cowfish, a traditional member of the Tetraodontiformes and a boxfish. Here it nests close to the queen triggerfish, Balistes (below) another member of the Tetraordontifornes. A toxin is secreted by skin glands. The body is armored. The pelvic fin is reduced to a posterior spine, which is missing in Balistes.

Balistes capriscus (Gmelin 1789, commonly 44cm, up to 60cm) is the extant grey triggerfish. It nests with the cowfish and the ocean sunfish in the LRT. The skin is tough and leathery. The body is laterally compressed. The dorsal fins provide locomotion and the triggerfish preys on invertebrates from a head down position.

Gmelin JF 1789. Caroli a Linné ... Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, Cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Editio Decima Tertia, Aucta, Reformata/ cura Jo. Frid. Gmelin. Volume 1, part 3. Lipsiae: Impensis Georg. Emanuel. Beer.

Johnson DG and Britz R 2005. Leis’ Conundrum: Homology of the Clavus of the Ocean Sunfishes. 2. Ontogeny of the Median Fins and Axial Skeleton of Ranzania laevis (Teleostei, Tetraodontiformes, Molidae). Journal of Morphology 266:11–21.

Linnaeus C 1758. Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata.

Swainson W 1839. The natural history of fishes, amphibians and reptiles or monocardian animals. 2 volumes. Longman, Orme, Brown, Green and Longmans, Paternoser Row and John Taylor, Upper Gower Street.

wiki/Lactophrys
wiki/Balistes

Cypriniformes

Danio

Albula

Synodus