Eye-stripe Triggerfish, Sufflamen chrysopterum (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Scientific name: Sufflamen chrysopterum
Alternative name/s:
Black Triggerfish, Blue-throated Triggerfish, Flagtail Triggerfish, Yellowstreak Triggerfish, Half-moon Triggerfish
Black Triggerfish, Sufflamen chrysopterum Click to enlarge image
A Black Triggerfish at a depth of 15m, "Pixie's Pinnacle", Ribbon Reef #10, Great Barrier Reef off Cooktown, Queensland, June 2000. Image: Schlögl, Erik
© Erik Schlögl

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Sufflamen
    Species
    chrysopterum
    Family
    Balistidae
    Order
    Tetraodontiformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    This species grows to 22cm in length.

Introduction

Eye-stripe Triggerfish is a tropical Indo-West Pacific species that has a yellowish stripe through the eye.

Identification

The Eye-stripe Triggerfish is brown with a green to yellow stripe from the eye to the pectoral fin base. The tail is yellow-brown with distinct white margins. The lower part of the head is often purplish-blue.

Juveniles are yellowish above, white below and black laterally. They have a yellow patch on the tail.

Habitat

It is usually seen in sheltered reef areas.

Distribution

It occurs widely in the tropical Indo-West Pacific.

In Australia it is known from the central coast of Western Australia, around the tropical north and south 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. Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 201.
  3. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
  4. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  5. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.