Description:

Dorsal spines: 3; Dorsal rays: 22-25; Anal spines: 0; Anal rays: 20-22.

Body orange-brown above, head and belly white. A broad diagonal black band through the eye and pectoral fin base to the anal fin. A black wedge-shaped mark on the caudal 
peduncle and rear of the body that is preceded by two yellow v-shaped marks. Soft dorsal, anal and pectoral fins pale; caudal fin dusky.

Maturity: Lm unknown. Range unknown. Max Length: 30 cm TL.

Occurs in shallow reefs exposed to surge (depth 2-20m). Commonly found over rocky or mixed rock, rubble and sand. Feeds on algae, detritus, molluscs, crustaceans, worms, 
echinoderms, fishes, sponges, foraminifera and eggs. Solitary or in small groups. Territorial. Oviparous. Distinct pairing.

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is possibly caught on occasion in the artisanal fishery.

One specimen was noted at about 3m depth and was observed to bury itself in the sand under a coral outcrop (J. Nevill 2020).

Photo courtesy Eleanor Brighton and Chris Mason-Parker (c) 2022 Blue Safari Seychelles/Marine Conservation Society, Seychelles. Photograph taken at Alphonse group 2022.

Bray, D.J. (2019). Rhinecanthus rectangulus in Fishes of Australia, http://136.154.202.208/home/species/770 (16/03/20).
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. Eds. (2020). FishBase. Rhinecanthus rectangulus. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Rhinecanthus-rectangulus.html (16/03/20).
Matsuura, K. (2001). Balistidae. Triggerfishes. p. 3911-3928. In K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living 
marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Vol. 6. Bony fishes part 4 (Labridae to Latimeriidae), estuarine crocodiles. FAO, Rome. 

Nevill, J.E.G. (2020). Rhinecanthus rectangulus, Wedge-tail triggerfish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/rhinecanthus-rectangulus-bloch-schneider-1801/  (edited 19/06/22).