Picasso triggerfish
Rhinecanthus aculeatus
- Scientific name
- Rhinecanthus aculeatus
- Group
- Reef fish
- Rarity
- Common
- Where to see it
- Indo-Pacific & Red Sea
- Conservation status (IUCN)
- Least concern
Did you know?
The Picasso triggerfish can lock its first dorsal spine upright to wedge itself into a reef crevice, making it very hard for a predator to pull it out. Its bold, contrasting pattern of lines and colors — worthy of an abstract painting — is what gives it its name.
What defines this group — Reef fish
The bony fish that live against coral and rock: the living backdrop of almost every dive.
- A bony skeleton, scales, and a rigid gill cover closing over the gills.
- A swim bladder acts as a float: they hold their depth without swimming.
- Many change colour, pattern — sometimes even sex — over the course of their life.
Other species in this group
- Ocellaris clownfish
- Blue tang
- Red lionfish
- Spot-fin porcupinefish
- Mediterranean moray
- Clark's anemonefish