Balistes vetula

Balistes vetula
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Tetraodontiformes
Family:	Balistidae
Genus:	Balistes
Species:	B. vetula
Binomial name
Balistes vetula Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms[2]
Balistes bellus Walbaum, 1792 Balistes pellucidus Hermann, 1804 Balistes equestris Gronow, 1854 Balistes vetula trinitatis Nichols & Murphy, 1914

Balistes vetula, the queen triggerfish or old wife, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the triggerfish family, Balistidae. This species is found in the Atlantic Ocean. It is occasionally caught as a gamefish, and sometimes kept in very large marine aquaria.

Balistes vetula was first formally described in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae published in 1758 with its type locality given as Ascension Island.^[3] In 1865 Pieter Bleeker designated this species as the type species of the genus Balistes.^[4] Balistes is the type genus of the family Balistidae, which is classified in the suborder Balistoidei in the order Tetraodontiformes.^[5]

Balistes vetula is the type species of the genus Balistes, a name which refers to the first spine of the dorsal fin being locked in place by the erection of the shorter second trigger spine, and unlocked by depressing the second spine. Balistes is taken directly from the Italian pesca ballista, the "crossbow fish". Ballista originally being a machine for throwing arrows. The specific name vetula means "old woman" or "old wife", the Latin cognate of vieja, a Spanish name used in Cuba for this species which was recorded by the Cuban naturalist Antonio Parra in 1787. This name apparently follows a Portuguese tradition of some larger fishes common names which allude to women. George Shaw said “It is supposed to have obtained the popular title of Old Wife Fish from the appearance of the mouth when viewed in front, as well as from the slightly murmuring noise which it utters when first taken.”^[6]

This fish is called cochino in Cuba,^[7] and this is the probable origin of the name Bahía de Cochinos, which is known as the Bay of Pigs in English.^{[citation needed]}

The queen triggerfish reaches 60 cm (24 in), though most only are about half that length.^[2] It is typically blue, purple, turquoise and green with a yellowish throat, and light blue lines on the fins and head.^[8] It can change colour somewhat to match its surroundings, or if subjected to stress.^[8]

In the western Atlantic, it ranges from Canada to southern Brazil, and in the eastern Atlantic it is found at Ascension, Cape Verde, Azores and south to Angola.^[2] It is reasonably common in Florida, the Bahamas and the Caribbean.^[8]

The queen triggerfish is typically found at coral and rocky reefs in depths of 3–30 m (9.8–98.4 ft), but it can occur as deep as 275 m (902 ft) and sometimes over areas with sand or seagrass.^[2]

It preys on a variety of invertebrates, notably sea urchins.^[8]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Balistes vetula.

Wikispecies has information related to Balistes vetula.

• animal-world.com Page on queen triggerfish
• Aquarium Fish: Triggerfish
• Photos of Balistes vetula on Sealife Collection