Sea Creatures: Clown Triggerfish - 2021 Proof Sterling Silver Coloured 50p Coin - BIOT

This triggerfish is a foraging predator on coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. Like all triggerfishes, the clown triggerfish has very strong jaws and broad teeth, perfect for eating its preferred prey, hard-shelled invertebrates like sea urchins, crustaceans, and molluscs. Its ‘funny by nature’ name comes from its spots, lines, and head markings which make it look almost like it is wearing clown makeup. The Clown triggerfish is a brightly coloured and eye-catching species and the most popular of the trigger species. It has a brown body and the lower half of it is covered in large white spots. The mouth is surrounded by a yellow field with a white edge. On its back, the Clown triggerfish has a yellow to gold coloured field. The tail fin can sometimes be of the same yellow/gold colour. The British Indian Ocean Territory comprises the 50 islands of the Chagos Archipelago which is only a total area of 44 square kilometres but the territorial seas cover over 60,000 square kilometres containing coral reefs which comprise over 10% of Indian Ocean reef cover and the cleanest seawater ever recorded. This means that the waters around Chagos are a vital natural laboratory for scientists to learn how a healthy reef lives and to study the diverse wildlife who live in or visit these waters as breeding and feeding grounds. This exciting collection features six of these attractive and colourful creatures.