Intentional partial beaching in a coral reef fish: a newly recorded hunting behaviour of titan triggerfish, Balistoides viridescens

Abstract

Coral reef fishes use a multitude of diverse feeding behaviours to increase their ability to successfully capture a wide range of prey. Here, this study reports a novel hunting behaviour in a coral reef fish, the titan triggerfish, Balistoides viridescens, where an individual was seen partially beaching itself while attempting to catch a Red Sea ghost crab, Ocypode saratan. This is the first report of this behaviour in the order Tetraodontiformes and represents an astonishing capability of this species to exploit food resources outside their typical assumed ecological niche.

Keywords: Balistoides viridescens, beaching behaviour, coral reef, feeding ecology, Red Sea, triggerfish.