Boomerang triggerfish
Sufflamen bursa
- Usual depth7–24 m
- Water temperature24–30 °C
- Best monthsApril, August, and September
- How commonCommon
About this species
Sufflamen bursa, the lei triggerfish, bursa triggerfish, scythe triggerfish or boomerang triggerfish, is a triggerfish from the Indo-Pacific. Its name is derived from the two markings behind its eyes that wrap around the fish similar to a Hawaiian lei. The color of these markings changes depending on the fish's mood, in which case the colors may alter from yellow, dark brown, and black. It is a species of reef fish found in reef ecosystems in the Indo-Pacific, including Japan, Australia, and Hawaii. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Sufflamen bursa”, 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: 110 records
- February: 424 records
- March: 643 records
- April: 1,301 records
- May: 635 records
- June: 978 records
- July: 961 records
- August: 1,277 records
- September: 1,093 records
- October: 848 records
- November: 266 records
- December: 56 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 7–24 m · Deepest record: 97.5 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 24–30 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Boomerang triggerfish, boomerang triggerfish, Boomerang Trigger-fish, Lei Triggerfish, Pallid Triggerfish, Scimitar Triggerfish, Scythe Triggerfish, Scythe Triggerfish, Boomerang triggerfish
Names in 6 more languages
- German
- Bumerang-Drückerfisch
- Spanish
- Ballesta boomerang
- Filipino
- Pakoy, Papakol
- French
- Baliste boomerang, Baliste carène, Baliste-carène
- Japanese
- Musumehagi, ムスメハギ
- Simplified Chinese
- 鐮刀砲彈, 頸帶多棘鱗魨, 頸帶鼓氣鱗魨, 鼓氣板機魨
Other scientific names: Balistes bursa, Hemibalistes bursa
Similar species
Black TriggerfishSufflamen chrysopterum
- Bridled Trigger
Sufflamen fraenatum
Flat-tailed Trigger-fishAbalistes stellatus
Orange-lined triggerfishBalistapus undulatus
Rough triggerfishCanthidermis maculata
- Black durgon
Melichthys niger
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).
- 10,093 open-data records from 1801 to 2023.
Log what you see on your next dive
The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.