Queen triggerfish
EN

Queen triggerfish

Balistes vetula

UnknownDDEUDDEU

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balistes_vetula

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Queen triggerfish populations have declined severely due to intensive fishing pressure throughout the Caribbean and western Atlantic, where they are highly valued as food fish and targeted by both commercial and recreational fisheries. Overfishing has been exacerbated by their slow reproductive rate and complex spawning behavior, making populations particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Habitat degradation of coral reefs and seagrass beds, combined with climate change impacts on marine ecosystems, further threatens their recovery prospects.

Threat summary

Habitat

Queen triggerfish inhabit coral reefs, rocky bottoms, and adjacent seagrass beds in tropical and subtropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean. They are typically found at depths ranging from shallow coastal waters to approximately 275 meters, preferring areas with complex reef structure that provide shelter and abundant invertebrate prey.

MARINE· major

Threatened in Anguilla

Calidris ferrugineaVU

Calidris ferruginea

Declining
EN

Anguilla Bank Skink

Spondylurus powelli

Declining
EN

Alsophis rijgersmaei

Declining
EN

Censky's Ameiva

Pholidoscelis corax

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Queen triggerfish classified as Endangered?
Queen triggerfish is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. Queen triggerfish populations have declined severely due to intensive fishing pressure throughout the Caribbean and western Atlantic, where they are highly valued as food fish and targeted by both commercial and recreational fisheries. Overfishing has been exacerbated by their slow reproductive rate and complex spawning behavior, making populations particularly vulnerable to exploitation. Habitat degradation of coral reefs and seagrass beds, combined with climate change impacts on marine ecosystems, further threatens their recovery prospects.
Where does Queen triggerfish live?
Queen triggerfish occurs in Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, and Belize (plus 47 other countries). Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Queen triggerfish?
The main threats to Queen triggerfish are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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