Balistes vetula
Balistes vetula Linnaeus, 1758
Queen triggerfish
Balistes vetula
photo by Johnson, L.


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Family:  Balistidae (Triggerfishes)
Max. size:  60 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 5,440.0 g; max. reported age: 23 years
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 2 - 275 m, non-migratory
Distribution:  Western and Eastern Atlantic.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 3-3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 29-32; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 27-29. Greenish or bluish gray on back, orange-yellow on lower part of head and abdomen, with two broad diagonal curved bright blue bands running from snout to below and in front of pectoral fins, the lowermost continuous with a blue ring around lips; a broad blue bar across caudal peduncle, and blue sub-marginal bands in median fins (Ref. 13442).
Biology:  Adults are found over rocky or coral areas (Ref. 5217). May form schools, sometimes solitary over sand and grassy areas. They feed mainly on benthic invertebrates (Ref. 4727). They prey on sea urchins by blowing water to overturn it and then attack it where the spines are short (Ref. 9710). Excellent food fish but occasionally can cause intoxication due to the liver.
IUCN Red List Status: Near Threatened (NT); Date assessed: 06 June 2011 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  poisonous to eat


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