Finescale triggerfish (Balistes polylepis)

Scientific name: Balistes polylepis Steindachner, 1876

The Finescale triggerfish (Balistes polylepis) is a marine fish of the family Balistidae. Native range: Eastern Pacific, San Francisco, California, USA to Callao, Peru, including the Galapagos Islands.

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.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Balistes polylepis
Family: Balistidae (Triggerfishes)
Order: Tetraodontiformes (Puffers and Filefishes)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 76.0
Common length: 50.0
Depth range: 3–36 m (10–118 ft)
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 36 m
Climate: Subtropical
Distribution: Eastern Pacific: San Francisco, California, USA to Callao, Peru, including the Galapagos Islands.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: commercial
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026