Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Superclassis/Classis: Actinopterygii
Classis/Subclassis: Actinopteri
Subclassis/Infraclassis: Neopterygii
Infraclassis: Teleostei
Megacohors: Osteoglossocephalai
Supercohors: Clupeocephala
Cohors: Euteleosteomorpha
Subcohors: Neoteleostei
Infracohors: Eurypterygia
Sectio: Ctenosquamata
Subsectio: Acanthomorphata
Divisio/Superordo: Acanthopterygii
Subdivisio: Percomorphaceae
Series: Eupercaria
Ordo: Tetraodontiformes
Familia: Balistidae
Genus: Melichthys
Species: M. indicus - M. niger - M. vidua
Melichthys is a small genus in the triggerfish family (Balistidae). Member species are found in the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean and even the Red Sea (M. niger). The Black triggerfish is the largest species in this genus at 45 cm in length and the Indian triggerfish is the smallest at 25 cm. Melichthys niger and Melichthys indicus are similar in appearance and are often confused.
Species
There are currently 3 recognized species in this genus:[1]
| Image | Scientific name | Common Name | Distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Melichthys indicus J. E. Randall & Klausewitz, 1973 | Indian triggerfish | Indian Ocean. |
 |
Melichthys niger Bloch, 1786 | Black triggerfish | Hawaii, up through Polynesia, westward to the East Indies and across the Indian Ocean |
 |
Melichthys vidua J. Richardson, 1845 | Pinktail triggerfish | Indo-Pacific. |
References
Matsuura, Keiichi (2014). "Taxonomy and systematics of tetraodontiform fishes: a review focusing primarily on progress in the period from 1980 to 2014". Ichthyological Research. 62 (1): 72–113. doi:10.1007/s10228-014-0444-5. S2CID 254172132.
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