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Melichthys indicus Randall & Klausewitz, 1973

Indian triggerfish
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Melichthys indicus   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Melichthys indicus (Indian triggerfish)
Melichthys indicus
Picture by Muséum-Aquarium de Nancy/D. Terver

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Tetraodontiformes (Puffers and filefishes) > Balistidae (Triggerfishes)
Etymology: Melichthys: Greek, melas, melaina, melan, black + icthys yos, fish. On the other hand, in Smith et al.,1986: 878), 'body dark brown to black' in https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/266635#page/902/mode/1up.(P. Romero, pers.comm. 03/2022).
More on authors: Randall & Klausewitz.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 30 m (Ref. 9710). Tropical

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Indian Ocean: Red Sea and East Africa eastward to western Thailand and Indonesia.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 25.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4420)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 30 - 35; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 27 - 30. Narrow white margin round caudal fin; live specimens bluish or violet (Ref. 4420).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Inhabits coral-rich seaward reef slopes (Ref. 9710, 48637). Occurs singly (Ref. 9710). Digs holes below coral bases for shelter (Ref. 48637). Feeds on sponges, algae, crustaceans and small invertebrates (Ref. 5503). Caught with artisanal gear (Ref. 30573). Minimum depth from Ref. 58018.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Matsuura, Keiichi | Collaborators

Smith, M.M. and P.C. Heemstra, 1986. Balistidae. p. 876-882. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. (Ref. 4420)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 13 January 2022

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
Diet composition
Food consumption
Food rations
Predators
Ecology
Ecology
Population dynamics
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
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Abundance
Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
Fecundity
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Eggs
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Distribution
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Anatomy
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Physiology
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Nutrients
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Swimming type
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Visual pigments
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Toxicity (LC50s)
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Genetics
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References

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | Public aquariums | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoobank | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 25.4 - 29.3, mean 28.2 °C (based on 947 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.6250   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.02692 (0.01267 - 0.05719), b=2.92 (2.74 - 3.10), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  3.0   ±0.29 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Low vulnerability (15 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Medium.
Nutrients (Ref. 124155):  Calcium = 55.1 [23.5, 127.1] mg/100g; Iron = 0.67 [0.35, 1.49] mg/100g; Protein = 18.2 [16.1, 20.4] %; Omega3 = 0.11 [0.06, 0.21] g/100g; Selenium = 31 [16, 65] μg/100g; VitaminA = 57.3 [16.4, 201.4] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.25 [0.85, 1.86] mg/100g (wet weight);