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Family Balistidae
Triggerfishes
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Triggerfishes have hard diamond-shaped scales that
interlock to form a tough but flexible body armor and have numerous spines on
the caudal peduncle. The spiny dorsal fin is composed of several stout
spines positioned rearward of the eyes. In comparison, Filefishes
have leathery skin covered with small bristles and a spiny dorsal fin directly
above the eyes. The pelvic fins are reduced to a bony nub. Most
swimming is done by undulating the soft dorsal and anal fins while the tail is
reserved for sudden bursts of speed. They have sharp incisiform teeth that
are used to crush shellfish or defend their nests. Some species will
attack humans while nesting or accidentally bite during fish-feeding, causing
serious injury. Many species actually feed upon zooplankton in the
water column rather than benthic organisms.
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HAWAII
Rhinecanthus aculeatus
Makapu'u, Oahu, 25 feet
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Makapu'u, Oahu, 25 feet |
Wakatobi, Indonesia, 5 feet |
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LAGOON TRIGGERFISH
Humuhumu-nukunuku-apua'a Murasame-mongara
| Uncommon on sandy reefs to 30 feet. Feeds upon invertebrates and algae.
Attains 12 inches. Red Sea to South Africa, GBR, Southern Japan,
Hawaii & Polynesia; Eastern Atlantic from Senegal to South Africa. |
Rhinecanthus rectangulus
Makapu'u, Oahu, 25 feet
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Makapu'u, Oahu, 25 feet |
Juvenile, Blowhole, Oahu, 15 feet
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Blowhole, Oahu, 20 feet |
Hiding in hole, Portlock, Oahu, 15 feet |
Portlock, Oahu, 20 feet
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Hooked & tangled on reef
Portlock, Oahu, 20 feet |
Hooked & tangled on reef
Portlock, Oahu, 20 feet
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Hooked & tangled on reef
Portlock, Oahu, 20 feet
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Hooked & tangled on reef
Portlock, Oahu, 20 feet
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Hooked & tangled on reef
Portlock, Oahu, 20 feet
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Hooked & tangled on reef
Portlock, Oahu, 20 feet
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Hooked & tangled on reef
Portlock, Oahu, 20 feet |
Hooked & tangled on reef
Portlock, Oahu, 20 feet |
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REEF or PICASSO
TRIGGERFISH Humuhumu-nukunuku-apua'a
Tasuki-mongara
| Common on reefs to 50 feet. Feeds upon invertebrates and algae.
Attains 10 inches. Red Sea to South Africa, GBR, Southern Japan,
Hawaii & Polynesia. Hooked fish was unhooked and released. |
Sufflamen bursa
Juvenile, Mahukona, Hawaii, 30 feet
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Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 30 feet |
Kealakekua Bay, Hawaii, 20 feet
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Kahe Point, Oahu, 35 feet |
Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 50 feet |
Kewalo Pipe, Oahu, 50 feet |
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LEI, BOOMERANG, or
SCIMITAR TRIGGERFISH Humuhumu Lei Musume-hagi
| Common on reefs from 10 to 300 feet. Feeds upon invertebrates and algae.
V-shaped mark behind the eye may be orange or brown. Attains 9.5 inches.
East Africa to GBR, Southern Japan, Hawaii & Polynesia. |
Sufflamen
fraenatum
Juvenile, Lahilahi Point, Oahu, 80 feet
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Juvenile, Lahilahi Point, Oahu, 80 feet |
Juvenile, Kahe Point, Oahu, Hawaii, 40 feet
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Kahe Point, Oahu, Hawaii, 40 feet |
Lanai Lookout, Oahu, 60 feet
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Kahe Point, Oahu, Hawaii, 40 feet |
Kahe Point, Oahu, Hawaii, 40 feet |
Juvenile, 100 ft. Hole, Waikiki, Oahu, 90 feet |
BRIDLED TRIGGERFISH
Humuhumu mimi Megane-hagi
| Fairly common over rubble and sand
from 30 to 600 feet. Feeds upon invertebrates, fishes, and algae.
Adult may appear very dark with white ring on caudal
peduncle; A large but shy species frequently caught while bottom
fishing. Attains 15
inches. Red Sea to Southern Japan, Hawaii & Polynesia. |
Melichthys vidua
Puako, Hawaii, 30 feet |
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PINKTAIL TRIGGERFISH
Humuhumu Hi'ukole Kuro-mongara
| Common on coral reefs with good water circulation from 10 to 200 feet.
Feeds upon algae, detritus, invertebrates & fishes. A solitary bottom feeder; pink tail may appear greenish underwater.
Attains 13 inches.
South Africa to Honshu, Hawaii GBR & Polynesia. |
Melichthys niger
Juvenile, Angel Ledge, Midway, 70 feet
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YO-257 Wreck, Oahu, 60 feet |
Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 20 feet |
Feeding inverted, Hanauma Bay, Oahu, 20 feet |
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BLACK TRIGGERFISH, BLACK DURGEON
Humuhumu 'ele'ele Soroi-mongara
| Common in large aggregations on reefs and ledges with good water circulation
to 300 feet. Feeds upon zooplankton, phytoplankton, and
calcareous algae. White base of dorsal & anal fins appears blue
underwater; yellow and blue lines may be present; a wary species unless fed
by divers. Attains 12 inches. Inhabits warm seas worldwide. |
Xanthichthys auromarginatus
Male, Sharkfin, Lana'i, 30 feet
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Male, Honaunau, Hawaii, 40 feet |
Female, Old Airport, Hawaii, 40 feet
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Feale, Sharkfin, Lana'i, 30 feet |
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GILDED TRIGGERFISH
Hoshi-mongara
| Locally common on current-swept dropoffs, reefs, and wrecks from 50 to 500 feet.
Feeds upon zooplankton in the water
column. Females are gray overall and males have blue cheeks and
yellow-margined fins; a wary species. Attains 11 inches. Oceanic
islands from Mauritius to the GBR, New Caledonia, Ryukyus, and Hawaii. |
Xanthichthys mento
Female, Pearl & Hermes Reef, 60 feet
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Female, Pearl & Hermes Reef, NWHI, 50 feet |
Male, Angel Ledge, Midway, 80 feet
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CROSSHATCH TRIGGERFISH
Name-mongara
| Locally common where surface waters
are in the middle 60's. Rare in deep water elsewhere. In
Hawaii, only common at Pearl & Hermes,
Midway, and Kure Atolls. Inhabits current-swept reefs and dropoffs
from 10 to 300 feet. Feeds upon zooplankton just above
the reef. Soft dorsal & anal fins with red margins in
females, yellow in males; caudal fin yellow in females and red in males.
Attains 12 inches. Subtropical Pacific island groups
from the Izu Islands west to Hawaii, Baja
California, south to the Galapagos, Easter, and Pitcairn Island. |
Xanthichthys
caeruleolineatus
South Point, Hawaii, 80 feet |
West Oahu
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West Oahu |
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BLUELINED TRIGGERFISH
Aosugimongara
| Rare along dropoffs from 150 to 600 feet. Feeds upon zooplankton. Attains
13.5 inches. Maldives to Southern Japan, Hawaii, Polynesia, Cocos
Island, & the Galapagos. |
INDO-PACIFIC
Balistoides conspicillum
Wakatobi, Indonesia, 30 feet |
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CLOWN TRIGGERFISH Mongara-kawahagi
| Quite rare on coral reefs and dropoffs in clear water to 200 feet. Feeds upon
invertebrates. Attains 19 inches. Difficult to find since it is highly sought for aquaria.
East Africa to Southern Japan & Samoa. |
Balistoides viridescens
Okinawa Aquarium
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TITAN TRIGGERFISH
| Occasional on coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific. Male very
aggressive when guarding its nest. Attains 30 inches.
Indo-Pacific except Hawaii. |
TROPICAL EASTERN PACIFIC
Sufflamen verres
Juvenile, Cabo Pulmo, Baja California, Mexico |
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ORANGESIDE TRIGGERFISH Cochino or Puerco naranja
| Common on rocky reefs with sand nearby from 10 to 100 feet.
Feeds upon hard-shelled invertebrates. Attains 15 inches. Baja California to Ecuador and the Galapagos. |
TROPICAL WESTERN ATLANTIC
Balistes vetula
Grand Cayman |
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QUEEN TRIGGERFISH
| Common on coral reefs to 600 feet. Feeds upon hard-shelled
invertebrates. Attains 24 inches. Tropical and temperate Atlantic. |
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