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HOME -> Fish -> Butterflyfishes

Butterflyfishes (111)

General descriptionThe Butterfly fish (Chaetodontidae) are one of the most beautifully colored and varied genus of reef-fish in the oceans, well known for it ability to gracefully move about the coral reef with an air of total indifference. Their tightly compress bodies display an array of various patterns and colors. The head and body is usually a dark backgroundcolor which is broken up by a series of stripes and other patterns. Coloration varies considerably but often includes patches of yellow, orange, blue, an [Further read]d white. A "false eye" is commonly seen on some butterfly fish; this is usually located towards the back of the fish or even on a fin, the objective being to distract a striking predator from the butterfly fish's own head.

There are 114 family members worldwide known they can be found in tropical waters among the reef, most often observed in the Indo-Pacific. The Chaetodon genus contains the majority of the species. Their small size (12.5-20 cm - 5 to 8 in.), rounded bodies and slightly concave foreheads easily distinguish them from similar-appearing angelfish that are larger, have rounded foreheads and generally exhibit elongated dorsal and anal fins. The mouth on the butterfly fish is small and protrudes, even extensively in some cases such as the longnose butterfly fish. They have many small teeth in both jaws and the round, flat body of the butterfly fish is, in most species, covered with contrasting colors. These small, colorful fish spend their day flitting about shallow to deep reefs, dock pilings and rubble fields using keen eyesight to search for exposed coral polyps, tiny worms and other invertebrates. The main diet of the butterfly fish consist of algae, plankton, worms and small crustaceans but in many species this fish is considered an omnivore, which means it will eat almost anything that is available. Butterflies generally travel singly or in pairs within a rather limited home-range. At dusk they find shelter in a reef recess and become inactive. As they settle in for the night, daytime colors pale and markings change.

Little is known about the mating and reproduction habits. Most species prefer to live singly or in pairs even though some species are known to live in small schools. Please note that some species that are equal in size are known to fight with each other.

Classification:
Class: Ray-Finned Fishes (Actinopterygii)
Superclass: Bony Fishes (Osteichthyes)
Suborder: Bass (Percoidei)
Order: Perch-like Fishes (Perciformes)
Family: Butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae)

Amphichaetodon(1), Chaetodon(86), Chelmon(3), Chelmonops(1), Coradion(3), Forcipiger(2), Hemitaurichthys(4), Johnrandallia(1), Microcanthus(1), Parachaetodon(1), Prognathodes(7), Tilodon(1)

Amphichaetodon (1)

A. howensis

Lord Howe Island butterflyfish

C. adiergastos

Philippine butterflyfish

C. andamanensis

Chaetodon andamanensis

C. argentatus

Asian butterflyfish

C. aureofasciatus

Golden butterflyfish

Threadfin butterflyfish

Oriental butterflyfish

C. austriacus

Blacktail butterflyfish

C. baronessa

Eastern triangular butterflyfish

C. bennetti

Bluelashed butterflyfish

C. blackburnii

Blackburn?s Butterflyfish or Brownburnie

C. burgessi

Burgess Butterfly

C. capistratus

Foureye butterflyfish

C. citrinellus

Speckled butterflyfish

Redtail butterflyfish

C. daedalma

Wrought iron butterflyfish

C. declivis

Marquesas butterflyfish

C. decussatus

Indian vagabond butterflyfish

C. dialeucos

Oman butterflyfish

African butterflyfish

C. ephippium

Saddle butterflyfish

Blackwedged butterflyfish

C. fasciatus

Diagonal butterflyfish

C. flavirostris

Black butterflyfish

C. flavocoronatus

Yellow crowned butterflyfish

C. fremblii

Bluestriped butterflyfish

C. gardineri

C. guentheri

Crochet butterflyfish

C. guttatissimus

Peppered butterflyfish

C. humeralis

Threebanded butterflyfish

C. interruptus

Yellow teardrop butterflyfish

C. jayakari

Indian golden barred butterflyfish

Sunburst butterflyfish

C. larvatus

Hooded butterflyfish

C. leucopleura

Somali butterflyfish

C. lineolatus

Lined butterflyfish

Easter Island butterflyfish

Raccoon butterflyfish

C. lunulatus

Oval butterflyfish

C. madagaskariensis

Seychelles butterflyfish

Doublesash butterflyfish

C. melannotus

Blackback butterflyfish

C. melapterus

Arabian butterflyfish

C. mertensii

Atoll butterflyfish

C. mesoleucus

White Fronted Butterflyfish

Scrawled butterflyfish

C. miliaris

Millet butterflyfish

C. mitratus

Indian butterflyfish

C. modestus

Brown banded butterflyfish

C. multicinctus

Hawaii Butterflyfish

C. nigropunctatus

Black spotted butterflyfish

Japanese butterflyfish

C. ocellatus

Spotfin butterflyfish

C. ocellicaudus

Spot tail butterflyfish

C. octofasciatus

Eightband butterflyfish

C. ornatissimus

Ornate butterflyfish

C. oxycephalus

Spot nape butterflyfish

C. paucifasciatus

Eritrean butterflyfish

C. pelewensis

Sunset butterflyfish

C. plebeius

Blueblotch butterflyfish

C. punctatofasciatus

Spotband butterflyfish

C. quadrimaculatus

Fourspot butterflyfish

C. rafflesi

Latticed butterflyfish

C. rainfordi

C. reticulatus

Mailed butterflyfish

C. robustus

Three banded butterflyfish

C. sanctaehelenae

Saint Helena butterflyfish

C. sedentarius

Reef butterflyfish

Yellow dotted butterflyfish

Dotted butterflyfish

C. semilarvatus

Bluecheek butterflyfish

Smith's butterflyfish

C. speculum

Mirror butterflyfish

C. striatus

Banded butterflyfish

Hawaiian butterflyfish

C. triangulum

Triangle butterflyfish

C. trichrous

Tahiti butterflyfish

C. tricinctus

Three striped butterflyfish

C. trifascialis

Chevron butterflyfish

C. trifasciatus

Melon butterflyfish

C. ulietensis

Pacific double saddle butterflyfish

C. unimaculatus

Teardrop butterflyfish

C. vagabundus

Vagabond butterflyfish

Hongkong butterflyfish

C. xanthocephalus

Yellowhead butterflyfish

C. xanthurus

Pearlscale butterflyfish

C. zanzibarensis

Zanzibar butterflyfish

C. marginalis

Margined coralfish

C. muelleri

Blackfin coralfish

C. rostratus

Copperband butterflyfish

C. truncatus

Truncate coralfish

C. altivelis

Highfin Coralfish

C. chrysozonus

Goldengirdled coralfish

C. melanopus

Twospot coralfish

F. flavissimus

Longnose butterflyfish

F. longirostris

Longnose butterflyfish

Hemitaurichthys (4)

H. multispinosus

Many spined butterflyfish

H. polylepis

Pyramid butterflyfish

H. thompsoni

Thompson Butterflyfish

Brown and white butterflyfish

Johnrandallia (1)

J. nigrirostris

Blacknosed butterflyfish

Microcanthus (1)

M. strigatus

Parachaetodon (1)

P. ocellatus

Sixspine butterflyfish

Prognathodes (7)

P. aculeatus

Longsnout butterflyfish

P. brasiliensis

Brasiliensis butterflyfish

P. dichrous

Bicolor butterflyfish

P. falcifer

Scythemarked butterflyfish

P. guyanensis

French butterflyfish

P. marcellae

Prognathodes marcellae

P. obliquus

Oblique butterflyfish

T. sexfasciatus

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