FISHES OF CHESAPEAKE BAY 
341 
KEY TO THE SPECIES 
a. Head without prominent bands or stripes; outer caudal rays never greatly produced; D. III-27 
to 29; A. 23 to 26; scales 54 to 62 carolinensis, p. 341 
aa. Head with prominent dark blue stripes and bars on side; outer rays of caudal greatly pro- 
duced in adult, filamentous; D. III-29 or 30; A. 26 to 28; scales 60 to 62 vetula, p. 341 
191. Balistes carolinensis Gmelin. Trigger fish; Leatherjacket; Turbot. 
Balistes carolinensis Gmelin, Sys. Nat. I, 1788, p. 1468; Carolina. Jordan and Evermann, 1890-1900, p. 1701, PI. CCLVIII, 
fig. 632. 
Head 3; depth 1.8; D. Ill— 27; A. 25; scales (counted from gill opening to base of caudal) 58. 
Body deep, rather strongly compressed; dorsal and ventral outlines about evenly convex; head 
deep; snout long, tapering, 1.32 in head; eye small, 4.4; interorbital 3.15; mouth small, terminal; 
teeth in jaws large and strong, the anterior ones more or less caninelike; gill opening reduced to an 
oblique slit; lateral line feebly developed, most distinct posteriorly; scales of moderate size, im- 
planted in a thick leathery skin, the edges of scales not free, each scale covered with bony barbs; 
dorsal fins separate, the first consisting of three short, strong spines, the first one the longest, 1.45 
Fig. 204. — Balistes carolinensis. Adult, 12J3 inches long 
in head; second dorsal and anal similar, highest anteriorly; caudal fin with concave margin; ventral 
fins represented by a single blunt spine, thickly covered with coarse barbs; pectoral fins short, 
round, 2.55 in head. 
Color in alcohol grayish green; interorbital area blackish; indications of a blackish bar under 
base of spinous dorsal, extending to pectoral; another and more distinct one at origin of second 
dorsal; two dark blotches under base of second dorsal; another on caudal peduncle; fins more or 
less greenish to dusky; spinous dorsal with pale spots on membranes; caudal fin plain; all other 
fins with dark spots, streaks, or bars. 
A single specimen, 250 millimeters (9M inches) in length is at hand and upon it the foregoing 
description is based. The trigger fish is recognized by the deep, compressed body; small eye, 
which is placed very high; small mouth, with large teeth; short gill opening; protruding pubic bone; 
and the very large first dorsal spine. The chief differences between this fish and its near West 
Indian relative, B. vetula, which to date has not been taken in Chesapeake Bay but which is not 
infrequently found at Woods Hole, are set forth in the accompanying key. 
Nothing definite seems to be known about the food and feeding habits of the trigger fish. 
It is taken occasionally on the blackfish grounds off Beaufort, N. C., with hook and line, baited 
jb b 
