Spotted trunkfish with dusky damselfish.

Sometimes you just see the CUTEST things when snorkeling! I know, you are probably thinking, cute??? Really? Well, tell me if this little guy isn’t adorable? He looked like a little windup toy spinning around the corals! This boxy little fish is a Spotted trunkfish, and they are shy but curious fish that swim slowly above reefs, often hovering under ledges or over small holes.
Trunkfish are protected by a bony outer surface that acts as body armor and includes two sharp spines guarding their rear fins. The rigid outer structure helps protect spotted trunkfish from predators, but they are poor swimmers because of their rigidity and bulky shape. At maturity they average 6 to 12” in length. This guy was no more than 4” in size and one of the highlights of my snorkel trip yesterday just minutes from San Pedro Town on Ambergris Caye.