Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Perciformes (Perch-likes) >
Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes)
Etymology: Chaetodon: Greek, chaite = hair + Greek, odous = teeth (Ref. 45335). More on author: Cuvier.
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 5 - 20 m (Ref. 48636). Tropical, preferred ?; 30°N - 45°S
Western Pacific: Cocos-Keeling Islands in the eastern Indian Ocean and Indonesia to Fiji and Tonga (Ref. 53797), north to southern Japan, south to New Caledonia and New South Wales, Australia. Replaced by Chaetodon triangulum in the Indian Ocean (Ref. 37816).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 16.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 48636)
Occur in lagoon and seaward reefs. Feed exclusively on the polyps of the tubular Acropora corals. Swim in pairs and are territorial. Oviparous (Ref. 205). Form pairs during breeding (Ref. 205).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Distinct pairing (Ref. 205).
Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene, 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 506 p. (Ref. 2334)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Aquarium: commercial
More information
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Estimates of some properties based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.02291 (0.01223 - 0.04290), b=3.01 (2.85 - 3.17), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic Level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.61 se; Based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
69278): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (14 of 100) .