QUEEN TRIGGERFISH AND GOOD RIDDANCE TO MARIA
I can think of no sensible connection between the colourful yet undoubtedly strange and grumpy-looking looking queen triggerfish Balistes vetula, and a hurricane. However, Hurricanes Irma and Maria have been rightly dominating the news and everyone’s thoughts for nearly 3 weeks now. And most of the recent posts from Rolling Harbour, for that matter. It’s not been a great time for looking at the birds, beasts and fishes. So, as Maria drifts eastwards and away from the Bahamas into the open ocean, it’s time for a splash of colour – and a fish I have not featured before.
Hurricane Maria tracking at 11.00 EST on Sept 22
The queen triggerfish, sometimes known as an Old Wife, is an Atlantic reef fish. This species is sometime fished for as game, and I know that a few have been taken from off the rocks at the south end of Delphi beach over the years – though perhaps not exactly on purpose.
This fish typically is coloured with shades of blue, purple, turquoise and green with a yellowish throat, with pale blue lines fins on head and fins. It’s minor superpower is to be able to change its coloration to some extent to match its reef surroundings and assist camouflage. Its favourite food is the sea urchin.
Let’s hope this is the last post to feature anything about hurricanes for a good long time, as we think of all those still struggling to make sense of the terrible destruction they have recently experienced – in some places, twice over.
Credits: Melinda Riger / Grand Bahama Scuba; Mark Peter, Wiki; Clark Anderson / Aqua-images
ROLLING HARBOUR ABACO 
Good riddance indeed! I think I can almost hear that queen triggerfish saying it too “good riddance, Maria!” 😉
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I know, Marina: that face says it all! Nice to get back to wildlife after the storms… RH
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Yes, indeed! Enjoying your Rollinsta Harbinstas! 😉
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Beautiful trigger fish! Thanks for sharing
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Nice to have something else to concentrate on besides extreme weather, Roselyn! RH
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… sorry, RH, my silly fingers must have hit send instead of return!
…friends in Florida and the were all affected of course. We keep our fingers crossed for NO more hurricans. NO MORE****** Stay safe and enjoy this paradise. x
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…and for Part 2 (of 2). Yes, I think 2 x Cat.5s in 2 weeks in the western Atlantic is quite enough for one year. Abaco itself has been lucky – for Irma, at the expense of poor Florida as the storm shifted west; and this time at no one’s expense, luckily. But the unbelievable damage had already been done earlier on to all those tragic islands in the firing line…
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Thank you for this awesome splashes of colours. Poor wildlife! I have friends in Florida and
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Thanks for part 1 (of 2) Dina!
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