Titan Triggerfish (Balistoides viridescens) in front of damaged corals, Similan Islands Marine National Park, Thailand
Illegal anchoring of ships within coral reefs is still happening, even within protected national parks of Thailand, and can lead to severe damages of the reefs. The titan triggerfish is a large species of triggerfish found in lagoons and at reefs to depths of 50 m in most of the Indo-Pacific. With a length of up to 75 centimetres, it is the largest species of triggerfish in its range. The titan triggerfish feeds on sea urchins, molluscs, crustaceans, tube worms and coral. It often feeds by turning over rocks, stirring up sand and biting off pieces of branching coral. This is why other smaller fish species are often seen around it, as they feed on the detritus and smaller organisms that are stirred up.
Year: 2015
From album: Coastal Environments and Biodiversity
Photographer: Peter Prokosch