Halfmoon triggerfish (Sufflamen chrysopterum)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Sufflamen chrysopterum
- Common name
- Halfmoon triggerfish
- Category
- Fish
- Family
- Balistidae
- Genus
- Sufflamen
- Size
- 20–30 cm
- Depth
- 1–30 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- coral-reef
- Behaviours
- solitary, diurnal
- Ocean zones
- Asian Pacific, Eastern Pacific, Indian Ocean & Red Sea
Description
Sufflamen chrysopterum reaches 30 cm. Triggerfish (Balistidae) Indo-Pacific tropical with compressed oval body brown to brown-green with characteristic blue-yellow halfmoon mark behind mouth and on cheek, yellow-orange fins, erectile first dorsal fin. Lives from 1 to 30 m on coral reefs of Indo-Pacific. Territorial. Note: this Indo-Pacific species can overlap eastern boundaries in central Pacific, included here to complete the list of triggerfishes observable at East Pacific edges.
Photo of Halfmoon triggerfish
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Halfmoon triggerfish?
- Halfmoon triggerfish (Sufflamen chrysopterum) reaches 20–30 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Halfmoon triggerfish?
- Halfmoon triggerfish is found between 1–30 m deep.
- Is the Halfmoon triggerfish dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Halfmoon triggerfish?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Halfmoon triggerfish?
- Found in: Asian Pacific, Eastern Pacific, Indian Ocean & Red Sea.
Other species in the genus Sufflamen
- Sufflamen bursa - Scythe triggerfish
- Sufflamen verres - Orange-sided 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 276851)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 2407192)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia