Smooth trunkfish
Lactophrys triqueter
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Description:
Body with a triangular, bony box of armor, dark in color but with white spots and an area of pale honeycomb markings on the central midbody (L. triqueter). Dark around the mouth and at the base of the pectoral fin. Mouth small and protrusible, tail broom-like.
Size up to 47 cm.
Juveniles with a dark body, covered with large yellow to pale spots. As they mature, they develop a pale midbody area where the honeycomb markings appear later.
Habitat:
Found on coral reefs, down to 50 m. Solitary or in small groups. Feed on a wide variety of small bottom invertebrates that they exposed by a jet of water ejected through the mouth.
Distribution:
Common to occasional Florida, Bahamas and Caribbean.