Nature Field Guide
Orangeside Triggerfish
- Spanish name
- Chancho de costado naranja
- Scientific name
- Sufflamen verres
What Do Pico & Tati Think?
Pico: “Its lower side is orange!”
Tati: “The yellow mark below the mouth helps us compare triggerfish.”
Species overview
About the Orangeside Triggerfish
The upper body is brown, becoming yellow-orange below. A thin yellow diagonal mark crosses the lower head, and fine dark lines mark the cheek.
This fish uses rocky reefs and eats bottom organisms. Its small mouth and strong jaws differ from the broad mouths of groupers. The first dorsal spine can be held erect.
Identification
Key Features of the Orangeside Triggerfish
Brown back and orange lower side
Yellow diagonal lower-head mark
Deep triggerfish body
Habitat & range
Pacific rocky reefs and nearby coastal marine habitats. Check the linked species reference for its wider range.
Local observations
Recorded at Cabo Blanco.
When to observe
Visibility depends on water clarity, currents, depth and conditions. No fixed local viewing or migration season is assigned.
Conservation & care
Keep clear of tail-base structures and strong jaws. Observe with a qualified guide. Do not feed, chase or handle fish. Keep fins off the reef and take all litter home.
Threats & pressures
Habitat damage and degraded water quality are pressures to prevent in coastal fish habitats. This profile does not quantify a local decline.
Observation activity
Trace the boundary between the dark back and orange underside in a photograph.
Explore by location
Puntarenas & the Gulf Islands · South Pacific · Ocean & Coastal Life