Black durgon
Melichthys niger
- Usual depth5–22 m
- Water temperature24–29 °C
- Best monthsJuly, August, and September
- How commonCommon
About this species
The black triggerfish or black durgon, called Humuhumu'ele'ele in Hawaiian, is a blimp-shaped triggerfish with bright white lines running along its dorsal and anal fins. From distance, it appears to be completely black. However, upon closer inspection with good lighting, one can see that it is actually mottled dark-blue/green coloration often with orange toward the front of the head. Black durgons are capable of changing color based on their surroundings.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Black triggerfish”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 269 records
- February: 503 records
- March: 1,119 records
- April: 1,158 records
- May: 506 records
- June: 978 records
- July: 1,401 records
- August: 1,441 records
- September: 1,330 records
- October: 837 records
- November: 318 records
- December: 637 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 5–22 m · Deepest record: 80 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 24–29 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Black durgon, Black triggerfish, Black Durgeon, black durgon, Black Durgon, Black durgon triggerfish, Black durgon triggerfish, Black triggerfish, Blackfish, Black Oldwife, black triggerfish, Black Triggerfish, Ebony Triggerfish, Niger Head, Niggerfish, Pigger
Names in 6 more languages
- German
- Schwarzer Drückerfisch
- Spanish
- Ballesta Negro, Cachúa Negra, Calafate, Calafate Negro, cochito negro, Furu-furu, Galafate, Japonesa, negrito, Peje Puerco, Puerco Negro, Puerco popo, Varraco
- French
- Baliste noir
- Japanese
- Soroimongara, クラカケモンガラ, ソロイモンガラ
- Thai
- ปลาวัวดำ
- Simplified Chinese
- 角鱗魨, 黑角鱗魨
Other scientific names: Balistes fuscolineatus, Balistes kib, Balistes kibitar, Balistes niger, Balistes piceus, Balistes radula, Balistes ringens, Balistes sillone, Balistes verrucosus, Melichthys bispinosus, Melichthys piceus, Melichthys radula, Melichthys ringens, Melicthys niger, Melicthys radula
Similar species
- Pinktail triggerfish
Melichthys vidua
Flat-tailed Trigger-fishAbalistes stellatus
Orange-lined triggerfishBalistapus undulatus
Rough triggerfishCanthidermis maculata
Black TriggerfishSufflamen chrysopterum
Clown triggerfishBalistoides conspicillum
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 12,731 open-data records from 1786 to 2024.
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