How to Identify Balistidae

Balistidae is a animal family in the Animalia kingdom, order Tetraodontiformes, class . The family contains 28 accepted species worldwide.

Key Identification Features

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Representative Balistidae Species

How to identify Rhinecanthus assasi (Forsskål, 1775)

Rhinecanthus assasi (Forsskål, 1775)

Rhinecanthus assasi (Forsskål, 1775)

Rhinecanthus assasi is a 30 cm reef triggerfish found in the western Indian Ocea…

How to identify Abalistes stellatus (Anonymous, 1798)

Abalistes stellatus (Anonymous, 1798)

Abalistes stellatus (Anonymous, 1798)

Abalistes stellatus is a triggerfish species found in the Indian and Western Pac…

How to identify Melichthys indicus Randall & Klausewitz, 1973

Melichthys indicus Randall & Klausewitz, 1973

Melichthys indicus Randall & Klausewitz, 1973

Melichthys indicus, the Indian triggerfish, is a 25 cm long triggerfish found ac…

How to identify Balistes vetula Linnaeus, 1758

Balistes vetula Linnaeus, 1758

Balistes vetula Linnaeus, 1758

Balistes vetula, the queen triggerfish, is a large Atlantic triggerfish that may…

How to identify Balistes capriscus Gmelin, 1789

Balistes capriscus Gmelin, 1789

Balistes capriscus Gmelin, 1789

Balistes capriscus, the grey triggerfish, is a medium-sized reef fish found acro…

How to identify Sufflamen bursa (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Sufflamen bursa (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Sufflamen bursa (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Sufflamen bursa is a triggerfish from the Indo-Pacific that is edible and hunted…

How to identify Sufflamen chrysopterum (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Sufflamen chrysopterum (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Sufflamen chrysopterum (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

The halfmoon triggerfish (Sufflamen chrysopterum) is a solitary triggerfish nati…

How to identify Balistoides viridescens (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Balistoides viridescens (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Balistoides viridescens (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

Balistoides viridescens, the titan triggerfish, is a large Indo-Pacific triggerf…

How to identify Melichthys niger (Bloch, 1786)

Melichthys niger (Bloch, 1786)

Melichthys niger (Bloch, 1786)

Melichthys niger, the black triggerfish, is a circumtropical color-changing trig…

How to identify Xanthichthys auromarginatus (Bennett, 1832)

Xanthichthys auromarginatus (Bennett, 1832)

Xanthichthys auromarginatus (Bennett, 1832)

The gilded triggerfish (Xanthichthys auromarginatus) is a sexually dichromatic I…

How to identify Balistapus undulatus (Park, 1797)

Balistapus undulatus (Park, 1797)

Balistapus undulatus (Park, 1797)

Balistapus undulatus, the orange-lined triggerfish, is a reef-dwelling fish with…

How to identify Pseudobalistes naufragium (Jordan & Starks, 1895)

Pseudobalistes naufragium (Jordan & Starks, 1895)

Pseudobalistes naufragium (Jordan & Starks, 1895)

Pseudobalistes naufragium, the stone triggerfish, is a toothy fish found in the …

Browse all 28 Balistidae species →

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you identify Balistidae?

Balistidae animals belong to the Tetraodontiformes order in the Animalia kingdom. This species has a brown body and black fins, with distinct white lines at the base of its dorsal and anal fins. For instant identification, use the iNature app — AI-powered and works offline.

What are the key characteristics of Balistidae?

Balistidae is classified in the order Tetraodontiformes, class , phylum Chordata. Compared to other larger triggerfishes with overlapping ranges, such as the grey triggerfish and ocean triggerfish, the queen triggerfish is easily identifiable by its distinct color patterns.

Sources: GBIF, iNaturalist, Wikipedia · Disclaimer

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