checklist (pdf) - The Love Lab - University of California, Santa Barbara

Order Tetraodontiformes
Family Balistidae — Triggerfishes
Balistes polylepis Steindachner, 1876. Finescale Triggerfish. To 80 cm (31.5 in) TL (De La Cruz-Agüero et
al. 1997). Metlakatla, southeastern Alaska (Karinen et al. 1985; see comment under Melichthys niger
below) to San Antonio (about 33°32'S), central Chile (Brito 2003), including Gulf of California (Bussing
in Fischer et al. 1995), Islas Galápagos (Grove and Lavenberg 1997), and Hawaii (Randall and Mundy
1998). Only one Alaska record and isolated records from Washington to California; most common south
of California (Mecklenburg et al. 2002). At depths of 3–512 m (10–1,680 ft) (min.: Pérez-España et al.
1996; max.: Miller and Lea 1972).
Melichthys niger (Bloch, 1786). Black Durgon or Black Triggerfish. To 51 cm (20 in) TL (Eschmeyer and
Herald 1983). Circumglobal; San Diego, southern California to southern Gulf of California (Robertson
and Allen 2002) and Ecuador, including Islas Galápagos (Grove and Lavenberg 1997). Not confirmed
north of Mexico since it was reported off San Diego in the 1800s (Miller and Lea 1972, Eschmeyer
and Herald 1983). A report of this fish from Metlatkatla, Alaska (Karinen et al. 1985), represents a
misidentified Balistes polylepis (Mecklenburg et al. 2002). Surface to 75 m (246 ft) (min.: Lieske and
Myers 2002; max.: Matsuura in Carpenter and Niem 2001).
Pseudobalistes naufragium (Jordan & Starks, 1895). Blunthead Triggerfish or Stone Triggerfish. To 1 m
(39.4 in) TL (Allen and Robertson 1994). Bahia Almejas (24°22'N, 111°43'W), southern Baja California
(SIO 65-182) to Chile (Pequeño 1989), including lower Gulf of California (Bussing in Fischer et al.
1995) and Islas Galápagos (Grove and Lavenberg 1997). At depths of 2–100 m (7–328 ft) (min.: SIO
65-182; max.: Amezcua Linares 1996).
Sufflamen verres (Gilbert & Starks, 1904). Orangeside Triggerfish. To 40 cm (15.7 in) TL (Bussing in Fischer
et al. 1995). Isla Cedros, central Baja California and, on mainland, Isla Asuncion (27°06'N, 114°18'W),
southern Baja California (M. L., unpubl. data) to central Gulf of California and Ecuador (Béarez 1996),
including Islas Galápagos (Grove and Lavenberg 1997). At depths of 3–35 m (10–115 ft; Allen and
Robertson 1994).
Xanthichthys mento (Jordan & Gilbert, 1882). Crosshatch Triggerfish or Redtail Triggerfish. To 30 cm
(11.7 in) TL (Randall 1996). Tropical Pacific; Ventura, southern California (Miller and Lea 1972) to
Chile (Pequeño 1989), including Islas Galápagos (Grove and Lavenberg 1997). Surface to 131 m (430 ft)
(min.: Eschmeyer and Herald 1983; max.: Chave and Mundy 1994).
Family Monacanthidae — Filefishes
Aluterus monoceros (Linnaeus, 1758). Unicorn Filefish or Unicorn Leatherjacket. To 76 cm (29.9 in) TL.
Pacific coast of southern Baja California, southeastern Gulf of California to Chile, Isla Cocos, Isla
Malpelo, and Islas Revillagigedo. At depths of 0–50 m (164 ft). All in Robertson and Allen (2002).
Aluterus scriptus (Osbeck, 1765). Scrawled Filefish or Scrawled Leatherjacket. To 1.1 m (43.3 in) TL (Lieske
and Myers 2002). Circumglobal; Japan (Hiyashi in Nakabo 2002); Pacific coast of southern Baja
California (Bussing and Lavenberg in Fischer et al. 1995) to Ecuador (Béarez 1996), including Gulf
of California (Bussing and Lavenberg in Fischer et al. 1995), Easter Island (Pequeño 1997), and Islas
Galápagos (Grove and Lavenberg 1997). At depths of 0–120 m (394 ft) (min.: Robertson and Allen
2002; max.: Chave and Mundy 1994).
*Cantherhines dumerilii (Holland, 1854). Barred Filefish or Whitespotted Filefish. To 38 cm (15.0 in) TL
(Laboute and Grandperrin 2000). Pacific and Indian oceans; Japan (Hiyashi in Nakabo 2002); a few
sites in eastern Pacific including southern tip of Baja California (Bussing and Lavenberg in Fischer et al.
1995) and Islas Galápagos (Grove and Lavenberg 1997). Inshore, 1–35 m (3–115 ft; Myers 1999).
179