Known for its camouflage feature when it senses danger, the grey triggerfish is reflected in an underwater camera in Antalya. The image of the fish, which turned into the color of the stones around, by trying to stand still instead of running, surprised everyone.
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Gökoğlu, Faculty Member of Akdeniz University (AU) Faculty of Fisheries, diving off the coast of Konyaaltı, reflected the camouflage feature of the Red Sea species of grey triggerfish (Stephanolepis Diaspros), which is very common in the Mediterranean coasts. Perceiving the professor he came across in the stony area as a threat, the grey triggerfish surprised everyone with its interesting defense mechanism. The fish, which often prowled around, tried to remain an inactive object by taking the color of the stones it was swimming near.
“It camouflages itself by imitating stones”
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Gökoğlu described the image of the grey triggerfish, which he recorded with his underwater camera and shared on his social media account, “This fish, which is a Red Sea species, is known as the grey triggerfish. Koreans also know this fish as grey triggerfish. We often see this fish, whose scientific name is Stephanolepis diaspros, during our dives. This fish, which is very well camouflaged in its environment, stays motionless like a stone on the Konyaaltı beach and turns into a stone color and camouflages by imitating a stone. The fish, which has changed its color and is seen as motionless, moves and changes place during the shoot. In nature, every living thing has a defense mechanism. This fish, whose color is greenish, is protected from its enemies by changing the color of the object it is hiding next to or behind”