WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Orangeside Triggerfish

Sufflamen verres

Also known as: Orange-sided Triggerfish, Yellowbelly Triggerfish, Yellow-bellied Triggerfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2010
Adult
@thebagelbarn · Troncones,guerrero, Mexico · December 20121 / 2
01

Overview

Found singly or in small schools, along rocky reefs and coastlines, sometimes in deep water swimming high above the reef. Usually observed at nesting time when guarding their nests!

Triggerfish have a hard spine Dorsal Fin that can be locked.
When sleeping this spine is used to wedge them into place in a crevasse and so deter predators from pulling them out of their bed!
The spine is also held erect as a warning to other fish to stay away.
Several large Titans blow shallow depressions in the sand for nesting and if approached will raise this spine as a warning, if ignored they may charge, even divers! especially the Titan Triggerfish who will take a tasty bite. Beware.

02

How to identify

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Eastern Pacific
  • Exact location · 1
  • Country only · 1
LIVES IN

Found singly or in small schools, along rocky reefs and coastlines, sometimes in deep water swimming high above the reef.

04

Adult photos 2

05

Discussion 1

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1 comment

  • Carol· 20 Mar 2016

    You might want to check on the distribution of this fish. Other sources say it's on the western side of the Pacific. We definitely saw it in the Galapagos.

ALL STAGES
FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

Deep dive

Taxonomy

  1. kingdomAnimalia
  2. phylumChordata
  3. classTeleostei
  4. orderTetraodontiformes
  5. familyBalistidae
  6. genusSufflamen
  7. speciesSufflamen verres (Gilbert & Starks, 1904)

SourcesWoRMSFishBase

06

More in the family

Triggerfishes (Balistidae)