Bridled Triggerfish

Bridled Triggerfish

Sufflamen fraenatum
Bridled Triggerfish

Average Weight/Length

Max length : 38.0 cm TL male/unsexed; common length : 26.0 cm TL male/unsexed

Family, Genus, Class & Etymology

Family    Balistidae
Description    Triggerfishes
Environment    Marine
Etymology    Greek, balein = to throw (
Genus    12
No. of Species    42
Order    Tetraodontiformes
Class    Actinopterygii
Reproductive Guild    Guarders
Distribution    Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Usually compressed body. Pelvic fins fused to one spine. First dorsal spine with locking mechanism. With 12 principal rays in caudal fin. 18 vertebrae. Upper jaw non-protrusible. Upper jaw usually with four teeth in outer and three in the inner series on each premaxillary. Capable of rotating eyeballs independently. Triggerfish normally swim by undulating their second dorsal and anal fins, but will use their tail for rapid bursts. Most triggerfishes are solitary diurnal carnivores, feeding on a wide variety of invertebrates including hard-shelled mollusks and echinoderms; some also feed on algae or zooplankton. They lay demersal eggs in a nest which is aggressively guarded by the female, less often by the male. Popular and hardy in aquaria, but often aggressive

Other "Popular" Names for this Fish

Masked Triggerfish

Location Habitat

Inhabit coastal rocky reefs, often silty habitats and in lagoons on open sand. Solitary. Found over sand and rubble patches of seaward reefs. Benthopelagic. Feed on echinoids, fishes, mollusks, tunicates, crustaceans, algae, polychaete worms, foraminiferans and detritus. Oviparous

Biology & Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 27-31; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 24 - 28. Juveniles sand-colored with numerous thin black pinstripes; adult males with an oblique yellow band from the corner of mouth backward and another under the chin

Life Cycle & Mating Behavior

Distinct pairing

Geographic Species Map (Fishbase.org Map)

Summary of Distribution: Indo-Pacific: East Africa south to Natal, South Africa and east to the Hawaiian, Marquesas and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to Lord Howe Island.

Note: Distribution range colors indicate degree of suitability of habitat which can be interpreted as probabilities of occurrence (fishbase.org)

Picture (Fish)