Species: Canthidermis sufflamen, Ocean triggerfish

Canthidermis sufflamen (Mitchill, 1815)

Ocean triggerfish

Body relatively deep, depth 47-63% 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 and 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) + 26-27; anal rays 23-25; pectoral fin 15-16; 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; tail fin double concave, rounded in juveniles; pelvic fins externally reduced to 4 pairs of large scales encasing end of pelvis; thick leathery skin, with regularly arranged diagonal scale plates; snout without scales; no patch of enlarged scales immediately behind gill opening; lateral line inconspicuous.