Clown Triggerfish, Balistoides conspicillum (Bloch & Schneider 1801)

Other Names: Big-spotted Triggerfish, Big-spotted Trigger-fish, Clown Trigger-fish

A Clown Triggerfish, Balistoides conspicillum, at Madang, Papua New Guinea. Source: Jan Messersmith / http://www.messersmith.name/wordpress/. License: CC BY Attribution-ShareAlike

Summary:

A striking black triggerfish with large white spots on the lower side, a yellowish to whitish reticulated pattern on the back, a pale band in front of the eyes, orange lips, a pale caudal peduncle, and a black caudal fin with a broad pale yellowish vertical band. Juveniles are black with large white spots, a yellow snout and a yellow patch on the middle of the back.
Video of a Clown Triggerfish in the Maldives.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2022, Balistoides conspicillum in Fishes of Australia, accessed 20 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/761

Clown Triggerfish, Balistoides conspicillum (Bloch & Schneider 1801)

More Info

Distribution	Scott Reef, Western Australia, Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea, reefs of the Northern Territory, and the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland and reefs in the Coral Sea, to Botany Bay, New South Wales; also at Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean, and the Lord Howe Province in the Tasman Sea. Elsewhere the species occurs in the tropical, Indo-west Pacific. Inhabits clear coastal to outer reefs, near steep drop-offs, usually with rich coral growth. Juveniles are secretive, often sheltering in small caves with rich invertebrate growth.
Features	Dorsal fin III + 25-27; Anal fin 21-27; Pectoral fin 15; Vertebrae 18. Head with a prominent groove in front of eye; enlarged scales above pectoral-fin base and just behind gill opening forming a flexible tympanum; 3-4 rows of small anteriorly projecting spines on caudal peduncle; mouth terminal; caudal peduncle compressed; 39-50 rows of plate-like scales.
Colour	Overall black with large white spots on the lower half, a yellowish reticulated pattern on the back, a white or yellowish band across snout in front of eye, orange-yellow lips, and a broad vertical pale yellowish band on caudal fin.
Feeding	Feeds on a range of benthic invertebrates, including sea urchins, crabs and other crustaceans, molluscs and tunicates.
Fisheries	A highly prized aquarium fish.
Similar Species	The specific name is from the Latin conspicillum (= lens, spectacles), presumably in reference to the white bar in front of the eyes.
Species Citation	Balistes conspicillum Bloch & Schneider 1801, Systema Ichthyologiae: 474. Type locality: Mauritius
Author	Bray, D.J. 2022
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Clown Triggerfish, Balistoides conspicillum (Bloch & Schneider 1801)

References

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Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls.

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Allen, G.R., Steene, R.C. & Orchard, M. 2007. Fishes of Christmas Island. Christmas Island : Christmas Island Natural History Association 2 edn, 284 pp.

Bloch, M.E. & Schneider, J.G. 1801. Systema Ichthyologiae Iconibus ex Illustratum. Berlin 584 pp. 110 pls. See ref at BHL

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Francis, M.P. 2019. Checklist of the coastal fishes of Lord Howe, Norfolk and Kermadec Islands, southwest Pacific Ocean Version: 2019.1 https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4428305

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Whitley, G.P. 1937. Further ichthyological miscellanea. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 11(2): 113-148 figs 11-13