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Sufflamen bursa perusing a reef for food offshore Oahu, Hawaii.

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The Lei Triggerfish (Sufflamen bursa) is also known as the Boomerang Triggerfish, Whiteline Triggerfish, or the Scythe Triggerfish[1]. Its name is derived from the two markings behind its eyes that wrap around the fish similar to a Hawaiian Lei. The color of these markings changes depending on the fish's mood, in which case the colors may alter from yellow, dark brown, and black. It is a species of reef fish found in reef ecosystems in the Indo-Pacific, including Japan, Australia, and Hawaii.[2]

Description

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The Lei Triggerfish shares a similar body plan as other triggerfish species in the Balistidae Family, which include a rectangular body, pectoral, anal, caudal, dorsal and pelvic fins; and a toothy snout that is more reminiscent of a beak. The Lei Triggerfish is generally pale, but it can change to a darker color, typically a shade of brown with hints of purple on the anal, ventral, and caudal fins. A single white strip runs down from its mouth to the base of its pectoral fin while two stripes, which are either brown or yellow depending on the mood of the fish, run down vertically.  One stripe goes through the eye and the other behind the eye along the gills on either side[3].

Similar to other triggerfish species, they have locked spines at the base of their caudal fin which they use as a weapon of self-defense against predators.  Although it isn’t unheard of that these fish use their spines when provoked.  Like their relatives in the Balistidae Family, they have tough teeth that somewhat resemble a beak.  Lei Triggerfish have tiny barbs on their scales which repel urchin spines, making them impervious to their venom.[4]

Behavior

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Lei Triggerfish are usually solitary creatures, but it isn’t uncommon for them to travel in pairs.  In rarer circumstances, they can be seen swimming in trios.  They generally inhabit shallow and warm waters of the tropics and subtropics.  When these fish aren’t feeding, they patrol and hover around the reef, especially near areas that greatly vary in depth and topography in order to have easy access to a hiding spot from predators.[5]

Lei Triggerfish, like their relatives, are carnivorous and secondary consumers[6]. Their diet includes shrimps, sea urchins, worms, crabs, smaller fish, and other invertebrates. They don’t eat coral but instead will prey upon and pick at clams and other animals that attach themselves to live rocks or corals This behavioral trait helps to mitigate populations such as rock-boring creatures like sea urchins when there is an overabundance in a certain population of a species that they feed upon[7].  Lei triggerfish don’t seclude themselves from picking off crustaceans and mollusks from rocks.  They will actively seek out prey such as smaller fish.  They also flip sea urchins upside down to access their soft bellies which are defended with significantly less spines.  Since they are consumers, they are also susceptible to parasites and diseases.[1]

Distribution & Habitat

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The Lei Triggerfish inhabits regions of a coral reef before a surge zone as to avoid the chaos and general dissonance within the water where waves crash.  This species lives in warm shallow waters with sandy and reefy bottoms.  In the presence of a predator, they hide in reef crevices and do this especially at night[8].  They inhabit a variety of different reef systems across tropical and subtropical regions of the Pacific and Indo-Pacific. [9]

Human Use and Cultural Significance

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The Lei Triggerfish have proven to be edible as well.  They have been described to have a sweet flavor somewhat similar to crab or grouper. Regardless if it is eaten raw or cooked and it’s generally discouraged to use seasoning because it’s already tasty. [10]Like other foods, they’re generally used in bigger dishes as an ingredient such as sushi.  Additionally, they’re eaten grilled, raw, or seared.[11]

References

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https://fishbase.net.br/summary/Sufflamen-bursa.html

https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=219894

https://newsroom.wcs.org/News-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/9422/Triggerfish-Needed-to-Grow-Reefs-New-Research-Finds.aspx

https://australian.museum/learn/animals/fishes/pallid-triggerfish-sufflamen-bursa/

https://meridian.allenpress.com/copeia/article/2003/3/433/113842/Visual-Biology-of-Hawaiian-Coral-Reef-Fishes-I

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/marine-biodiversity-records/article/mesophotic-surveys-of-the-flora-and-fauna-at-johnston-atoll-central-pacific-ocean/70BF2726A8ED47714678A268ADD8F092

https://newsroom.wcs.org/News-Releases/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/9422/Triggerfish-Needed-to-Grow-Reefs-New-Research-Finds.aspx

https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5394f7m3

https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/222/4/jeb191791/20856/Energetics-and-behavior-of-coral-reef-fishes

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00338-017-1649-7

https://americasrestaurant.com/triggerfish-taste/

https://fishkeepingfolks.com/triggerfish/

  1. ^ "Lei Triggerfish (Reef Fish of the Hawaiian Islands) · iNaturalist". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  2. ^ "Sufflamen bursa, Boomerang triggerfish : fisheries, aquarium". fishbase.net.br. Retrieved 2022-10-03.
  3. ^ News, Opening Hours 10am-5pm Mon-Sun10am-9pm WedClosed Christmas Day Address 1 William StreetSydney NSW 2010 Australia Phone +61 2 9320 6000 www australian museum Copyright © 2022 The Australian Museum ABN 85 407 224 698 View Museum. "Pallid Triggerfish, Sufflamen bursa (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)". The Australian Museum. Retrieved 2022-11-28. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ journals.biologists.com https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/222/4/jeb191791/20856/Energetics-and-behavior-of-coral-reef-fishes. Retrieved 2022-11-28. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ Stones, Timothy (2021-11-19). "What Is Triggerfish? | Fishkeeping Folks". fishkeepingfolks.com. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  6. ^ Sandin, Stuart A.; Williams, Ivor (2010-08-25). "Trophic Classifications of Reef Fishes from the Tropical U.S. Pacific (Version 1.0)". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ^ "Triggerfish Needed to Grow Reefs, New Research Finds". newsroom.wcs.org. Retrieved 2022-10-10.
  8. ^ meridian.allenpress.com https://meridian.allenpress.com/copeia/article/2003/3/433/113842/Visual-Biology-of-Hawaiian-Coral-Reef-Fishes-I. Retrieved 2022-11-28. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ^ "Sufflamen bursa, Boomerang triggerfish : fisheries, aquarium". fishbase.net.br. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
  10. ^ Author Andrew Gray (2022-04-27). "What Does Triggerfish Taste Like? Does Triggerfish Taste Good? | Americas Restaurant". Retrieved 2022-11-28. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  11. ^ Author Andrew Gray (2022-04-27). "What Does Triggerfish Taste Like? Does Triggerfish Taste Good? | Americas Restaurant". Retrieved 2022-10-10. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)