| Family: |
Balistidae (Triggerfishes) |
| Max. size: |
38 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 8 - 186 m, oceanodromous |
| Distribution: |
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea, East Africa through northern Australia to the Hawaiian, Marquesas and Pitcain Islands; north to southern Japan. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 3-3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 27-31; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 24-28. Juveniles sand-colored with numerous thin black pinstripes (Ref. 1602); adult males with an oblique yellow band from the corner of mouth backward and another under the chin (Ref. 4420).
Description: Characterized further by having longitudinal scale rows 43-54; presence of deep groove in front of eye; nearly straight dorsal and ventral head profiles; body with series of longitudinal ridges bearing small spiny tubercles, ridges extending forward to front of second dorsal fin; rounded caudal fin in juvenile, truncate to slightly double emarginate in adult (Ref. 90102). |
| Biology: |
Inhabit coastal rocky reefs, often silty habitats and in lagoons on open sand (Ref. 48637). Solitary (Ref. 90102). Found over sand and rubble patches of seaward reefs (Ref. 205). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Feed on echinoids, fishes, mollusks, tunicates, crustaceans, algae, polychaete worms, foraminiferans and detritus. Oviparous (Ref. 205). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 February 2009 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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