Animal Species:Bridled Triggerfish, Sufflamen fraenatum (Latreille, 1804)

Alternative Name/s

Brown Triggerfish, Golden Triggerfish, Masked Triggerfish

Identification

The Bridled Triggerfish is brown with a yellow bar on the lower lip. Males have a yellow diagonal stripe from the mouth to the pectoral fin base.

Size range

The species grows to 38 cm in length.

Distribution

In Australia it is found from central to north-western Western Australia and from the northern Great Barrier Reef to the central coast of 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.

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Bridled Triggerfish specimens in the Australian Museum.

What does this mean?

Habitat

It occurs in tropical marine (and some temperate) waters of the Indo-Pacific.

Classification

Species:

fraenatum

Genus:

Sufflamen

Family:

Balistidae

Order:

Tetraodontiformes

Class:

Actinopterygii

Subphylum:

Vertebrata

Phylum:

Chordata

Kingdom:

Animalia

What does this mean?

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.

Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated: 3 May 2013

Tags Fishes, Ichthyology, Bridled Triggerfish, Sufflamen fraenatum, Balistidae, pink, yellow, blue, grey, deep-bodied, 30 cm - 1 m, countershaded, tropical waters, temperate, marine, adult,