Systematic study of triggerfish larvae (Tetraodontiformes : Balistidae)

三叉戟主要生活在印度洋-太平洋和大西洋的热带地区。该科由11属30种组成。松浦晃一郎(19780)对该科进行了系统研究，松浦一郎(1979年)和泰勒(1980年)发表了系统发育关系。在成鱼的分类上没有太大的问题。然而，与许多其他硬骨鱼类一样，触发鱼的幼体很难从物种甚至属的水平进行鉴定，因为从发育早期到幼体很难获得足够的材料。因此，这项研究的主要目的是根据博物馆和渔业机构现有的许多个体描述扳鱼幼体的诊断特征。通过对许多扳鱼幼体和成鱼的详细检查，得出结论：结合背鳍射线、肛鳍射线、胸鳍射线、纵向鳞片和头部鳞片的分生特征可以识别它们。在许多情况下，幼虫和幼虫的颜色模式有助于将它们识别到属水平，并经常有助于识别到物种水平。对幼虫和成虫的骨学检查表明，Xenobalistes属首次从系统发育上与所有其他属分开。在剩下的10个属中，Canthidermis与其他属区分开来，Xanthichthys、Rhinecantus和Balistapus与其他属区分开来。派生最多的属被认为是鲍鱼属。

Triggerfishes of the family Balistidae are found mainly in tropical regions in the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic. The Balistidae are composed of 11 genera and 30 species. Systematic studies of this family were made by Matsuura (19780) and phylogenetic relationships were published by Matsuura (1979) and Tyler (1980). There remaine no large problems in the taxonomy of adult triggerfishes. However, as in many cases of other teleostean fishes, larvae of triggerfishes are difficult to be identified to species or even to generic level because it is not easy to obtain adequate materials including series from early developmental stage to young. Thus, the main purpose of this study is to describe diagnostic characters of triggerfish larvae based on many individuals being now available at museums and fisheries institutions.The detailed examinations of many triggerfish larvae and adults led to a conclusion that they can be identified by using combinations of meristic characters of dorsal-fin rays, anal-fin rays, pectoral-fin rays, longitudinal scale rows, and head scales. In many cases color patterns of larvae and young are helpful to identify them to generic level and frequently to species level. Osteological examinations of larvae and adults show that the genus Xenobalistes is first separated phylogenetically from all other genera. In the remaining 10 genera, Canthidermis is differentiated from the others, then Xanthichthys, Rhinecanthus, and Balistapus are separated from the others. The most derived genus is considered to be Abalistes.