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Animal profile

Clown Triggerfish

Balistoides conspicillum

ActinopterygiiClear outer reef slopes and drop-offs, usually below ten metresLeast Concern

Field profile

A boldly marked triggerfish reaching about fifty centimetres, black with large white belly blotches and a yellow mouth ring. It feeds on hard-shelled invertebrates on steep reef faces. Adults are solitary and hold home ranges on the outer reef.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2026-08-16

Clown Triggerfish

The triggerfish locks itself into a crevice

The family is named for a two-spine mechanism in the dorsal fin. The first spine raises and a smaller second spine slots in behind it as a locking pin, wedging the fish inside a hole so it cannot be pulled out.

Read with evidence →

Clown Triggerfish | Daily Animal Facts