They will hover above the sand and occasionally tilt their head down and blow water through their mouth
This fish is only the size of a quarter, for now. It will eventually grow to be over a foot long and weigh up to seven pounds. It’s color and pattern will change. This trunkfish is a member of the boxfish family. As the name suggests, these fish are far from slender, and their locomotion in the water is unique. This is especially true when they are juveniles. These little gumball sized fish ping pong around the seafloor. Any current, surge, or disturbance is enough to send these little guys flying.
I found this juvenile trunkfish at Blue Heron Bridge in West Palm Beach, Florida. It was in very shallow water, maybe five to ten feet deep. It was tucked into some seagrass. The trunkfish was using the seagrass to shield itself from the current. This was also terrific camouflage, as the seagrass and the trunkfish were almost the same shade of green. When trunkfish are young, they are covered in white spots, which you can see if you look closely. There seems to be a significant number of white spots around the eyes. Their eyes are distinct. They have horizontally elongated pupils surrounded by a golden ring. From head on, you can see their animated faces. They will hover above the sand and occasionally tilt their head down and blow water through their mouth to disturb the sand, sometimes revealing prey.
You are probably wondering how these seemingly defenseless mediocre swimmers survive in the dangerous oceans. They have two unique physical adaptions that help them contend with predators. They have a protective shell and a chemical weapon. Their body is covered in protective plates. If you look closely, you will see these faint lines all over the trunkfish.
As a secondary defense the trunkfish can secrete a poison from their skin. Fortunately, as divers we do not have to worry about this poison, but other marine life can die from this toxic release. The name of this substance is called pahutoxin or Ostracitoxin. The mechanism this poison uses is described as hemolytic. This means the pahutoxin would cause the predator’s blood cells to rupture. Naturally, the trunkfish is immune to the pahutoxin.
The trunkfish can secrete a poison from their skin
Did you know?
- These fish are also called “Buffalo Trunkfish.” This is likely due to the fact that both the buffalo and the trunkfish have a distinct hump on their back.
- Trunkfish prefer shallow water environments like seagrass beds and coral reefs. They are generally found in less than 35 feet of water.
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