| Balistes | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Balistes capriscus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Tetraodontiformes |
| Family: | Balistidae |
| Genus: | Balistes Linnaeus, 1758 |
| Type species | |
| Balistes vetula Linnaeus, 1758 | |
| Synonyms [3] | |
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Balistes is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Balistidae, the triggerfishes. The triggerfishes in this genus are found in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific Ocean.
Balistes was first proposed as a genus by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae publishes in 1758. In 1865 Pieter Bleeker designated Balistes veluta as the type species of the genus. [3] When he described B. veluta Linnaeus gave its type locality as Ascension Island. [4] This genus is the type genus of the family Balistidae, which is classified in the suborder Balistoidei in the order Tetraodontiformes. [5]
A 2016 study found that Balistes was non-monophyletic and stated that moving Pseudobalistes naufragium to Balistes naufragium while also moving Balistoides viridescens to Pseudobalistes viridescens results in Balistes, Balistoides and Pseudobalistes being monophyletic. [6]
Balistes triggerfishes have both a common name and a scientific name that refers to the first spine of the dorsal fin being locked in place by the erection of the shorter second trigger spine, and unlocked by depressing the second spine. Balistes is taken directly from the Italian pesca ballista, the "crossbow fish". Ballista originally being a machine for throwing arrows. [7]
Balistes contains the following four valid extant species; [4]
| Image | Scientific name | Common Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Balistes capriscus J. F. Gmelin, 1789 | grey triggerfish | western Atlantic from Nova Scotia to Argentina and also the eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea and off Angola on the west coast of Africa. |
 | Balistes polylepis Steindachner, 1876 | finescale triggerfish | Pacific Coast of the Americas from San Francisco southwards to Callao, Peru and the Galapagos. |
 | Balistes punctatus J. F. Gmelin, 1789 | bluespotted triggerfish | Eastern Atlantic. |
 | Balistes vetula Linnaeus, 1758 | queen triggerfish | Western Atlantic, it ranges from Canada to southern Brazil, and in the eastern Atlantic it is found at Ascension, Cape Verde, Azores and south to Angola |
Balistes triggerfishes have robust, rather deep, compressed, oblong-shaped bodies. There is a clear groove which runs from below the eye to just above the nostril and a small, front opening mouth which contains strong jaws, Thereare 8 large outer teeth on each jaw while the teeth in the isde of the jaw are notched with the largest side teeth in the centre. The giil slit is short and located in front of the base of the pectoral fin, The dorsal fin has 3 spines, the first spine is lockable in the erect position, the second spine is half the length of the first. The soft rays in the dorsal, anal and pectoral fins are branched. The caudal peduncle is laterally compressed and has no spines, tuvercles or ridges on it. The pelvic fins are vestigial and consist of four scales forming a case for the end of the pelvis The skin is thick and leathery with plate-like scales that are arranged in regular diagonal rows. The snout is completely covered in scales. The large, bony scales behind the gull slit for a tympanum. The lateral line is diffcult to discern. [10] These are modreatly large fishes with the largest species being the finescale triggerfish (B. polylepis) with a maximum published total length of 76 cm (30 in). [11]
Balistes trifferfishes are found in the Atlantic Ocean and the Eastern Pacific Ocean, with three species, the grey triggerfish, bluespotted triggerfish and the queen triggerfish, in the Eastern Atlantic. Two of the Eastern Atlantic species, the grey and the queen triggerfishes, are also found in the Western Atlantic, and one species, the fine spotted triggerfish in the Eastern Pacific. [12] If the stone triggerfish is included then this is also found in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. [13] These fishes are found at depths between 0 and 200 m (0 and 656 ft) in coatsal waters. [14]
Triggerfish are about 40 species of often brightly colored marine rey-finned fishes belonging to the family Balistidae. Often marked by lines and spots, they inhabit tropical and subtropical oceans throughout the world, with the greatest species richness in the Indo-Pacific. Most are found in relatively shallow, coastal habitats, especially at coral reefs, but a few, such as the oceanic triggerfish, are pelagic. While several species from this family are popular in the marine aquarium trade, they are often notoriously ill-tempered.
The titan triggerfish, giant triggerfish or moustache triggerfish is a large species of triggerfish found in lagoons and at reefs to depths of 50 m (160 ft) in most of the Indo-Pacific, though it is absent from Hawaii. With a length of up to 75 centimetres (30 in), it is the largest species of triggerfish in its range.
Abalistes is a small genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Balistidae, the triggerfishes. These triggerfishes are found in the Indo-Pacific and eastern Atlantic. This genus contains two recognised species.
Abalistes stellatus, the starry triggerfish or flat-tailed triggerfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Balistidae, the triggerfishes. This triggerfish has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution.
The orange-lined triggerfish, also known as the orangestripe triggerfish, red-lined triggerfish, striped triggerfish or vermiculated triggerfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Balistidae, the triggerfishes. This species is the only species in the monospecific genus Balistapus, which is closely related to the genus Balistoides, if that genus is reclassified as a monospecific genus with the clown triggerfish as its only species. The orange-lined triggerfish has a wide Indo-Pacific range.
Ostracion is a genus of is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. These fishes are found in the Indo-Pacific region as far east as the eastern Pacific coasts of the Americas.
The grey triggerfish, or gray triggerfish, is a species of ray-finned fish in the triggerfish family Balistidae, the triggerfishes. The species is native to shallow parts of the western Atlantic from Nova Scotia to Argentina and also the eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea and off Angola on the west coast of Africa.
Aracanidae, the deep sea boxfishes or temperate boxfishes, are a family of marine ray-finned fishes belonong to the order Tetraodontiformes, which also includes the pufferfishes, triggerfishes and ocean sunfishes. The fishes in this family are found in the Indo-West Pacific region, particularly in the waters around Australia.
Balistes vetula, the queen triggerfish or old wife, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the triggerfish family, Balistidae. This species is found in the Atlantic Ocean. It is occasionally caught as a gamefish, and sometimes kept in very large marine aquaria.
Balistes punctatus, the bluespotted triggerfish or spotted triggerfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Balistidae, the triggerfishes. This species occurs in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean off the Western coast of Africa.
Balistoides is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Balistidae, the triggerfishes. The triggerfishes in this genus are found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Lactophrys is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. The boxfishes in this genus are found in the western Atlantic Ocean and are known as trunkfishes.
Lactoria is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the boxfishes. The fishes in this genus are found in the Indo-Pacific, with one species extending into the southeastern Atlantic.
Triacanthus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triacanthidae, the triplespines or tripodfishes. The two species in this genus are found in the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.
Triacanthus biaculeatus, also known as the short-nosed tripod fish, black-finned triple-spine, blacktail tripodfish, hollow-snouted tripodfish or silver tripodfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triacanthidae, the triplespines or tripodfishes. This species is found in the Indo-West Pacific region.
Abalistes filamentosus, the hairfin triggerfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Balistidae, the triggerfishes. It is found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean and in subtropical waters. It lives in the Pelagic-Neritic zone of the ocean between 61–180 meters deep. It is harmless to humans.
Balistes polylepis, the finescale triggerfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Balistidae, the triggerfishes. This triggerfish is found in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
The island cowfish, also known as the hogfish, bottlefish boxfish or island boxfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ostraciidae, the cowfishes. This fish is found around the islands of the mid-Atlantic Ocean and has beeen recorded from Western Africa.
Triacanthoidei is a suborder of ray-finned fishes belonging to the order Tetraodontiformes, which includes the pufferfishes, triggerfishes and related taxa. These benthic fishes are mainly found in the Indian Ocean with some of the spikefishes found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.
Ostracioidea or Ostracioidei, the boxfishes, is a suborder of ray-finned fishes belonging to the order Tetraodontiformes, which also includes the pufferfishes, filefishes and triggerfishes. The fishes in this taxon are found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.
| Authority control databases: National |
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