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Clown Triggerfish
Balistoides conspicillum (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
A Clown Triggerfish at a depth of 29 m, "Captains Table", Wreck Bay, far northern Great Barrier Reef. View larger image. Photo © E. Schlögl. View another image of this fish.
A Clown Triggerfish at a depth of 20 m, Shark Reef, Coral Sea, November 1998. Photo © E. Schlögl. View larger image.
A Clown Triggerfish collected on the Mindoro Island expedition, Philippine Islands, 2000. Photo: M. McGrouther © Australian Museum. View larger image.
The Clown Triggerfish can be recognised by its colouration. It is black with yellow lips. The lower half of the head and body have large white spots.
This species grows to 50 cm in length.
It occurs on coral reefs of the Indo-West Pacific.
In Australia it is known from the offshore reefs of north-western Western Australia and from the northern Great Barrier Reef to northern New South Wales.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Related links
- Titan Triggerfish fact sheet
- View a Clown Triggerfish at the Maldive Islands
- View the Triggerfishes list
Further reading
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
- 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.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.
