GRAY TRIGGERFISH
Balistes capriscus
English: Gray Triggerfish grey triggerfish, filefish, leatherjacket, pig-faced, trigger-fish, triggerfish, common triggerfish, and turbot.
Spanish: Ballesta , cachua, escopeta, pejepuerco blanco, peje puerco, penolera, pez ballesta, puerco, roncon, sabaco.
The Gray Triggerfish has large incisor teeth and a deep laterally compressed body covered with tough, sandpaper-like skin. Unlike their cousin, the filefish, triggerfish have more than one dorsal spine. The action of this spine gives the triggerfish its (common) name. The first spine is large, and when erect it remains so until the smaller second spine is deflexed, triggering the first. the gray triggerfish is easily distinguished by its drab color from the queen triggerfish, which is vividly colored.
The gray triggerfish is found on both sides of the tropical and temperate Atlantic from Massachusetts to Brazil, and from England southward along the coast of Africa. Along the southwestern United States, it typically inhabits hard bottom areas such as wercks, rock outcroppings and coral reefs in waters 80-300 feet in depth.
This triggerfish can weigh up to 13 pounds (5.9 kg) and grow to a maximum length of approximately 30 inches (76 cm).