Species: Canthidermis maculata, Rough triggerfish, Spotted oceanic triggerfish

Canthidermis maculata (Bloch, 1786)

Rough triggerfish, Spotted oceanic triggerfish

Body oblong, relatively elongate (depth 36-45% of SL in adults), robust, compressed; cheeks without longitudinal grooves; a distinct groove before eye and below nostril; mouth small, opens at the front, with powerful jaws made up of 8 heavy, outer teeth on the upper and lower jaws, teeth uneven in size, notched, center teeth not larger and pointed; gill opening a short slit on side before pectoral base; dorsal fin III (1st can be locked erect, 2nd >½ the size of 1st) + 23-25; anal rays 20-22; pectoral rays 13-15; soft dorsal and anal fins long and curved, the anterior rays well elevated, much longer than posterior rays; most rays of dorsal, anal and pectoral fins branched; tail base compressed, without spines, tubercles or ridges; caudal fin double concave, rounded in juveniles; pelvic fins externally reduced to 4 pairs of large scales encasing end of pelvis; thick leathery, very rough skin, with regularly arranged diagonal scale plates; snout without scales; no patch of enlarged scales immediately behind gill opening; lateral line inconspicuous.