Abalistes stellatus

Common Name: Starry Triggerfish
Starry Triggerfish
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Common Names:
  • Ampapagot (Visayan)
  • Ayam laut (Malay/Indonesian)
  • Baliste étoilé (French)
  • Buub (Woleaian)
  • Cëmô (Nââ Kwênyi)
  • Cimôô (Nââ Kwênyi)
  • Gargumba (Arabic)
  • Hamara (Arabic)
  • Härkähai (Finnish)
  • Ikan jebung (Malay)
  • Jebong (Malay/Indonesian)
  • Karkamba (Arabic)
  • Karkamber (Arabic)
  • Koay bak hoo (Hokkien)
  • Papakol (Tagalog)
  • Pejepuerco estrellado (Spanish)
  • Pokut (Malay/Indonesian)
  • Porco estrelado (Portuguese)
  • Puggot (Maranao/Samal/Tao Sug)
  • Star puffer (English)
  • Starry file fish (English)
  • Starry triggerfish (English)
  • Triggerfish (English)
Scientific Synonyms:
  • Abalistes stellaris (Bloch & Schneider 1801)
  • Abalistes stellatus (Lacepède 1798)
  • Balistes phaleratus (Richardson 1846)
  • Balistes stellaris (Bloch & Schneider 1801)
  • Balistes stellatus (Lacepède 1798)
  • Balistes vachellii (Richardson 1845)

Distribution : Indo-Pacific, Arabian Gulf and east coast. This fish is found mostly around coral reefs and submerged rocks and structures. It thrives in waters of up to 90 meters, and can often be found over muddy and sandy bottoms.

Size : Grows to about 60 cm in length, weighing up to 2kg.

Description : The Starry Triggerfish's colour ranges from bluish grey to olive green on the upper half of the body, and yellowish to white on the lower half, vividly marked with small light blue spots, blotches and 'brain' lines on the upper body. The small eyes are set high in the deep and compressed body which is covered with a leathery armour of moderately large scales in regular rows. In front of the eyes are deep grooves running towards a snout-like mouth with small powerful jaws. The first dorsal fin has three spinous rays, and the second dorsal, anal and caudal fins are transluscent. The caudal peduncle is quite small, and unusually for triggerfishes is flattened, being thicker than it is high. Pectoral fins are small and rounded, whilst the pelvic fins are fleshy, merging with the underbelly. These attractive trigger fishes are often caught in fish traps and nets set for other species.

Diet : Feeds on the surface as well as at the bottom, on a diet comprising mostly of benthic animals together with sponges and algae, small crustaceans and squids.

Comments : Also known as "ikan jebung" in Malay, the Hokkiens call it "koay bak hoo" (the Malay equivalent being "ayam laut" or "chicken of the sea") because the texture of its flesh is said to be similar to that of the chicken.