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Melichthys vidua (Richardson, 1845)

Pinktail triggerfish
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Melichthys vidua   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Melichthys vidua (Pinktail triggerfish)
Melichthys vidua
Picture by Muséum-Aquarium de Nancy/B. Alenda

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Tetraodontiformes (Puffers and filefishes) > Balistidae (Triggerfishes)
Etymology: Melichthys: Greek, melas, melaina, melan, black + icthys yos, fish. On the other hand, in Smith et al.,1986: 878), 'body dark brown to black' in https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/266635#page/902/mode/1up.(P. Romero, pers.comm. 03/2022).
More on author: Richardson.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 60 m (Ref. 1602). Tropical; 32°N - 31°S, 30°E - 132°W

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Indo-Pacific: East Africa eastward through northern Australia to Hawaiian and Tuamotu islands, north to southern Japan.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 40.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 30573)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 31 - 35; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 28 - 31. Juveniles with dark lines radiating from eye and dark lines on anal and soft dorsal fins (Ref. 4420).

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Occur in seaward reefs to depths greater than 60 m (Ref. 9710, 48637), with rich invertebrate growth (Ref. 48637). Common in coral-rich areas exposed to currents (Ref. 1602). Usually at moderate depths in small loose groups (Ref. 48637). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Diet consists mainly of algae and detritus but also takes in crustaceans, octopuses, sponges, and fishes (Ref. 1602). Oviparous (Ref. 205). Also taken with drive-in nets. Marketed fresh (Ref. 9770). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Matsuura, Keiichi | Collaborators

Matsuura, K., 2001. Balistidae. Triggerfishes. p. 3911-3928. In K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Vol. 6. Bony fishes part 4 (Labridae to Latimeriidae), estuarine crocodiles. FAO, Rome. (Ref. 9770)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 13 January 2022

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial
FAO - Publication: search | FishSource | Sea Around Us

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
Diet composition
Food consumption
Food rations
Predators
Ecology
Ecology
Population dynamics
Growth parameters
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance
Life cycle
Reproduction
Maturity
Maturity/Gills rel.
Fecundity
Spawning
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Eggs
Egg development
Larvae
Larval dynamics
Distribution
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BRUVS - Videos
Anatomy
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Physiology
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Nutrients
Oxygen consumption
Swimming type
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Visual pigments
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Toxicity (LC50s)
Genetics
Genetics
Heterozygosity
Heritability
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Taxonomy
Common names
Synonyms
Morphology
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References
References

Tools

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Special reports

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | BOLDSystems | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GenBank: genome, nucleotide | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | MitoFish | National databases | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | Public aquariums | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search | World Records Freshwater Fishing | Zoological Record

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 123201): 24.6 - 28.9, mean 27.6 °C (based on 692 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804):  PD50 = 0.6250   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.02692 (0.01538 - 0.04710), b=3.03 (2.88 - 3.18), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245).
Trophic level (Ref. 69278):  3.4   ±0.39 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref. 120179):  Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153):  Low to moderate vulnerability (30 of 100).
Price category (Ref. 80766):   Medium.
Nutrients (Ref. 124155):  Calcium = 37.2 [15.6, 91.1] mg/100g; Iron = 0.564 [0.291, 1.260] mg/100g; Protein = 18.4 [16.3, 20.6] %; Omega3 = 0.114 [0.057, 0.220] g/100g; Selenium = 37.6 [19.9, 77.0] μg/100g; VitaminA = 49.9 [14.5, 176.1] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.987 [0.674, 1.461] mg/100g (wet weight);