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Related FAQs: Rhinecanthus species, Rhinecanthus Triggers 2,
Rhinecanthus Trigger
ID, Rhinecanthus
Trigger Behavior, Rhinecanthus Trigger
Compatibility, Rhinecanthus Trigger
Selection, Rhinecanthus Trigger
Systems, Rhinecanthus Trigger
Feeding, Rhinecanthus Trigger
Disease, Rhinecanthus Trigger
Reproduction, Triggerfishes
in General, Triggerfish: Identification,
Selection, Selection 2,
Compatibility,
Behavior, Systems,
Feeding,
Diseases,
Triggerfish Health
2,
Related Articles: Triggerfishes (Family Balistidae), Red Sea Triggerfishes, Triggers of the Cook
Islands,
/The Best Livestock for A Marine Aquarium
(Series)
Triggerfishes of the Genus
Rhinecanthus, Picassos, Humas, Assassins, Natural Reef Animals
All
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| Bob Fenner |
Rhinecanthus assasi
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The genus Rhinecanthus: seven valid species.
Undoubtedly the most utilized genus of Triggerfishes for their small
sizes (maximum about a foot) and relatively easy-going personalities
are the Rhinecanthus spp.
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Rhinecanthus abyssus Matsuura & Shiobara 1989, the
Deepwater Triggerfish. Western Pacific. To about eight inches in
length.
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No pic
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The most popular Rhinecanthus species is immortalized in the
song of none other than Don Ho himself. This is the Humuhumu
nukunuku apua'a (literally "water pig with a
needle" in Hawaiian, in reference to grunting noise they
make and their spiny dorsal "trigger"), AKA the Picasso
or Lagoon Trigger (aka the "Blackbar" to science),
Rhinecanthus aculeatus (Linnaeus 1758). Below, one inch
baby in the wild (Maldives), two and six inch specimens in
captivity shown.
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From further out in the western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea
comes another "Picasso", or (preferably) the Assasi
Trigger, Rhinecanthus assasi (Forsskal 1775). This
one in the Red Sea. To one foot in length.
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Verticals (Full/Cover
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Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies.
Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size. |
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Rhinecanthus cinereus (Bonnaterre 1788),
Strickland's Triggerfish. Western Indian Ocean, Maldives,
Andaman Sea and Mauritius.
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No pic
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One of the most rare members of the family, the Halfmoon
Picasso or Crescent Trigger, Rhinecanthus lunula Randall
& Steene 1983, can be had for a few hundred dollars out of
Fiji or Australia.
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No pic
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The Rectangle or Reef Triggerfish ("Wedge-Tail
Triggerfish" to science), Rhinecanthus rectangulus
(Bloch & Schneider 1801)shares the waters and common Humu
name with the Picasso in Hawai'i. Indo-Pacific, Red Sea,
east African coast. Shown here as a baby and adult in
Hawai'i. To one foot in length.
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The very similar Bursa ("Blackbelly" to science)
Triggerfish, Rhinecanthus verrucosus (Linnaeus 1758),
comes to us from out of the Philippines and Indonesia.
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No pic
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| A new species! It's Rhinecanthus
cookensis Fenner 2000, the "Humuhumu nukunuku a Pot
Holder". Amazingly, I found this specimen in the kitchen! To
about a foot in length, and very handy for picking up hot
objects. |
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