Scientific Name
Balistes polylepis

Common Name
Finescale triggerfish

Biology
Body compressed and deep; skin thick, with large, rectilinear, plate-like scales that are easily visible to the naked eye; mouth small; teeth strong and protruding, 8 in each jaw; dorsal fin with 3 spines and 26 to 28 rays; scales behind the gill openings larger than the neighboring scales; snout surrounded by scales (Ref. 55763).

Classification

Classified By

Steindachner, 1876

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Puffers and Filefishes (Tetraodontiformes)

Family

Triggerfishes (Balistidae)

Distribution

Region

Eastern Pacific

Distribution

Eastern Pacific: San Francisco, California, USA to Callao, Peru, including the Galapagos Islands.

Range

Unknown

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

3 m

Depth To - meters

36 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 36 m (Ref. 5227)

Trophic Level

3.34 s.e. 0.37 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

76.0 cm

Common Length

50.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5078 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial

Vulnerability

Moderate to high vulnerability (54 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)