Species: Melichthys niger, Black Durgon, Black Triggerfish

Melichthys niger (Bloch, 1786)

Black Durgon, Black Triggerfish

Body 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) + 30-35; anal rays 28-31; anterior rays of second dorsal and anal fins moderately elevated, much longer than posterior rays; pectoral rays 15-17; 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.

Black to blue-black body and fins, with a pale blue-white line along the base of the dorsal and anal fins; front of head may be yellowish; thin blue lines radiating dorsally and anteriorly from eye.

Size: reaches 50 cm.

Inhabits rocky reefs and coral areas.

Depth: 0-406 m.

Circumtropical; Bermuda to Brazil.