Meet the Clown Triggerfish

The clown triggerfish is a small sized fish which grows up to 50 cm. Its body has a stocky appearance, oval shape. The first dorsal fin is composed of three spines, one of which is longer and stronger. It is erectile and hidden in a dorsal furrow. This set of dorsal spines composes a trigger system.  The larger spine is used to lock into rocks making it harder for a predator to attack. If you pushed on this larger spine trying to get it to lay down, you would fail. Yet if you simply and lightly push the smallest spine like a trigger to lay down then the larger ones would fold as well.

The clown trigger fish is widely distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian ocean and the western Pacific Ocean  It is most commonly found along external reef slopes with clear water until 75 m depth.