Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Tetraodontiformes (Puffers and filefishes) > Balistidae (Triggerfishes)
Etymology: Balistoides: Latin, balista, -ae = crossbowman + Greek, oides = similar (Ref. 45335).

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 50 m (Ref. 9770). Tropical, preferred ?; 32°N - 24°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea south to Delagoa Bay, Mozambique (Ref. 4420) and east to the Line and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to New Caledonia.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 75.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9710)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24-26; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 22 - 24. Fish has a deep grove before eye; scaleless area around lips, continuing and narrowing posterior to corner of mouth; small forward-curving spines in about five rows on side of and a short distance anterior to caudal peduncle. Caudal peduncle compressed (Ref. 9770).

Recorded from lagoons, seaward reefs (Ref. 1602) and sheltered inner reef slopes (Ref. 48637). Juveniles often associated with isolated patches of branching coral or rubble of shallow sandy protected areas. Adults occur singly or in pairs on the slopes of deep lagoon or seaward reefs (Ref. 37816, 48637). Often hostile towards divers and may attack unprovoked when caring for eggs (Ref. 48637). Feed on sea urchins, coral, crabs and other crustaceans, mollusks and tube worms. Oviparous (Ref. 205). Largest triggerfish; females are reported to have attacked divers when guarding their nest (Ref. 2334). Also caught with drive-in nets. Marketed fresh and dried-salted (Ref. 9770).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Distinct paring (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Matsuura, Keiichi | Collaborators

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. (Ref. 9770)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Not Evaluated

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 1602)

Human uses

Fisheries: commercial

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Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805): PD₅₀ = 0.7500 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.03236 (0.02024 - 0.05174), b=2.97 (2.83 - 3.11), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245).

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278): 3.3 ±0.44 se; Based on food items.

Resilience (Ref. 69278): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (54 of 100) .

Price category (Ref. 80766): Medium.

Balistoides viridescens (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)