Yellowspotted Triggerfish, Pseudobalistes fuscus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Scientific name: Pseudobalistes fuscus
Alternative name/s:
Blue-lined Trigger, Rippled Triggerfish
Yellowspotted Triggerfish, Pseudobalistes fuscus Click to enlarge image
A Yellowspotted Triggerfish caught on hook and line at a depth of about 30 m, Montebello Islands, Western Australia, August 2006. The fish was released alive. Image: Andrew Cooper
© Andrew Cooper

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Pseudobalistes
    Species
    fuscus
    Family
    Balistidae
    Order
    Tetraodontiformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to about 55 cm in length.

Introduction

The Yellowspotted Triggerfishis blue to greyish with small yellow to orange spots. The species is found from the Eastern Indian Ocean to the Central Pacific.

Identification

The Yellowspotted Triggerfish has a deep groove in front of the eyes and shallow horizontal grooves on the cheeks. The caudal fins of adult fish have pointed lobes. The fish is blue to greyish with small yellow to orange spots. The margins of the second dorsal, caudal and anal fins are light blue.

Habitat

It occurs on coral reefs and tropical inshore waters.

Distribution

The species is found from the Eastern Indian Ocean to the Central Pacific. In Australia, it is known from north-western Western Australia and the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland to southern New South Wales.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
  2. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  3. Matsuura,K. 2001 Balistidae. Triggerfishes. in Carpenter, K.E. & V.H. Niem (Eds). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 6. Bony Fishes part 4 (Labridae to Latimeriidae), estuarine crocodiles, sea turtles, sea snakes and marine mammals. FAO, Rome. Pp. iii-v, 3381-4218.
  4. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.