Scythe triggerfish (Sufflamen bursa)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Sufflamen bursa
- Common name
- Scythe triggerfish
- Category
- Fish
- Family
- Balistidae
- Genus
- Sufflamen
- Size
- 15–25 cm
- Depth
- 3–90 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- coral-reef, rocky-reef
- Behaviours
- solitary, territorial
- Ocean zones
- Asian Pacific, Indian Ocean & Red Sea
Description
Sufflamen bursa reaches 25 cm. Triggerfish with olive-brown or gray-brown body crossed by two broad yellow-green crescent-shaped bands (hence bursa) starting from top of eye, more saturated in males. Lives from 3 to 90 m on coral and rocky reefs of entire Indo-Pacific (Red Sea to eastern Pacific). Territorial on sands and reefs. Opportunistic predator of urchins, crabs and small fish. Common but characteristic photo subject of coral reefs.
Photo of Scythe triggerfish
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Scythe triggerfish?
- Scythe triggerfish (Sufflamen bursa) reaches 15–25 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Scythe triggerfish?
- Scythe triggerfish is found between 3–90 m deep.
- Is the Scythe triggerfish dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Scythe triggerfish?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Scythe triggerfish?
- Found in: Asian Pacific, Indian Ocean & Red Sea.
Other species in the genus Sufflamen
- Sufflamen verres - Orange-sided triggerfish
- Sufflamen chrysopterum - Halfmoon triggerfish
- Sufflamen albicaudatus - Whitecaudal Triggerfish
Other species in the family Balistidae
- Balistes vetula - Queen triggerfish
- Rhinecanthus aculeatus - Picasso triggerfish
- Balistapus undulatus - Orange-lined triggerfish
- Odonus niger - Redtoothed triggerfish
- Canthidermis sufflamen - Ocean triggerfish
- Canthidermis maculata - Spotted Triggerfish
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 219894)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 2407198)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia