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Intentional partial beaching in a coral reef fish: a newly recorded hunting behaviour of titan triggerfish, Balistoides viridescens
Author(s) -
Tietbohl Matthew D.,
Hardenstine Royale S.,
Tanabe Lyndsey K.,
Hulver Ann Marie,
Berumen Michael L.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/jfb.14513
Subject(s) - biology , fishery , coral reef , predation , coral , ecology , reef , range (aeronautics) , materials science , composite material
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.