Ocean triggerfish (Canthidermis maculata)

Scientific name: Canthidermis maculata Bloch, 1786

The Ocean triggerfish (Canthidermis maculata) is a marine fish of the family Balistidae.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 3; Dorsal soft rays (total): 23-25; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 20 - 22. Head, body and fins of adults dark; body with elongated white spots that may disappear with growth.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Canthidermis maculata
Family: Balistidae (Triggerfishes)
Order: Tetraodontiformes (Puffers and Filefishes)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 50.0
Common length: 35.0
Depth range: 1–110 m (3–361 ft)
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 110 m
Climate: Subtropical
Distribution: Circumglobal. But not in Mediterranean. Western Pacific: north to Hokkaido, Japan and east to French Polynesia. Eastern Pacific: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to Huacho, Peru, and including the Galapagos Islands. Western Atlantic: North Carolina, USA and Bermuda to South America. Eastern Atlantic: Cape Verde and west coast of Africa. Western Indian Ocean: South Africa and Reunion.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Reports of ciguatera poisoning
Uses: Fisheries: commercial
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 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