Chaetodontidae (a large family comprising butterflyfish and bannerfish) are some of the most beautiful and colored reef fish. They are among the most common sights on reefs throughout the world, especially at low depth.
The 120 butterflyfish species are mainly found on shallow reefs in the tropical Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.
They are well known for their brightly colored body and elaborate patterns and markings. Many have dark bands and one or more large “eyespots” on their flanks that may serve to confuse predators and a dark “mask” across their eyes.
Butterflyfish are deep-bodied and thin fish, with a relatively long snout and a small mouth, allowing them to feed on a variety of small crustaceans and on coral polyps.
Most species do not exceed a 20cm (8 inches) length. Butterflyfish form mating pairs that they remain with for life.
The Indo-Pacific region is where most butterflyfish species are concentrated, with approximately 50 different species found in Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia.
17 butterflyfish are found in Hawaii, including 3 endemic species: the bluestripe butterflyfish, the millet butterflyfish, and the pebbled butterflyfish.
Only 5 butterflyfish species -not the most colorful- occur in the Caribbean, the most frequently spotted there being the banded butterflyfish and the foureye butterflyfish.
5 butterflyfish are endemic of the Red Sea, including the majestic bluecheek butterflyfish.
Spotfin butterflyfish
Chaetodon ocellatus
Foureye butterflyfish
Chaetodon capistratus
Banded butterflyfish
Chaetodon striatus
Threadfin butterflyfish
Chaetodon auriga
Vagabond butterflyfish
Chaetodon vagabundus
Indian vagabond butterflyfish
Chaetodon decussatus
Double-saddle butterflyfish
Chaetodon ulietensis
Blackwedged butterflyfish
Chaetodon falcula
Lined butterflyfish
Chaetodon lineolatus
Spot-nape butterflyfish
Chaetodon oxycephalus
Blackback butterflyfish
Chaetodon melannotus
Spot-tail butterflyfish
Chaetodon ocellicaudus
Chevron butterflyfish
Chaetodon trifascialis
Philippine butterflyfish
Chaetodon adiergastos
Raccoon butterflyfish
Chaetodon lunula
Red Sea raccoon butterflyfish
Chaetodon fasciatus
Hong Kong butterflyfish
Chaetodon wiebeli
Dotted butterflyfish
Chaetodon semeion
Pacific Ocean teardrop butterflyfish
Chaetodon unimaculatus
Indian Ocean teardrop butterflyfish
Chaetodon interruptus
Zanzibar butterflyfish
Chaetodon zanzibarensis
Mirror butterflyfish
Chaetodon speculum
Andaman butterflyfish
Chaetodon andamanensis
Blueblotch butterflyfish
Chaetodon plebeius
Bluelashed butterflyfish
Chaetodon bennetti
Fourspot butterflyfish
Chaetodon quadrimaculatus
Bluecheek butterflyfish
Chaetodon semilarvatus
Oval butterflyfish
Chaetodon lunulatus
Melon butterflyfish
Chaetodon trifasciatus
Black-tailed butterflyfish
Chaetodon austriacus
Arabian butterflyfish
Chaetodon melapterus
Ornate butterflyfish
Chaetodon ornatissimus
Scrawled butterflyfish
Chaetodon meyeri
Bluestripe butterflyfish
Chaetodon fremblii
Eightband butterflyfish
Chaetodon octofasciatus
Eritrean butterflyfish
Chaetodon paucifasciatus
Seychelles butterflyfish
Chaetodon madagaskariensis
Atoll butterflyfish
Chaetodon mertensii
Yellowhead butterflyfish
Chaetodon xanthocephalus
Sunburst butterflyfish
Chaetodon kleinii
Millet butterflyfish
Chaetodon miliaris
Speckled butterflyfish
Chaetodon citrinellus
Pebbled butterflyfish
Chaetodon multicinctus
Peppered butterflyfish
Chaetodon guttatissimus
Latticed butterflyfish
Chaetodon rafflesii
Sunset butterflyfish
Chaetodon pelewensis
Saddle butterflyfish
Chaetodon ephippium
Golden butterflyfish
Chaetodon aureofasciatus
Rainford’s butterflyfish
Chaetodon rainfordi
Eastern triangular butterflyfish
Chaetodon baronessa
Hooded butterflyfish
Chaetodon larvatus
Redtail butterflyfish
Chaetodon collare
Mailed butterflyfish
Chaetodon reticulatus
Black butterflyfish
Chaetodon flavirostris
Tahiti butterflyfish
Chaetodon trichrous
Blackburn’s butterflyfish
Chaetodon blackburnii
Easter Island butterflyfish
Chaetodon litus
Brown-and-white butterflyfish
Hemitaurichthys zoster
Pyramid butterflyfish
Hemitaurichthys polylepis
Orangebanded coralfish
Coradion chrysozonus
Sixspine butterflyfish
Parachaetodon ocellatus
Cooperband butterflyfish
Chelmon rostratus
Yellow longnose butterflyfish
Forcipiger flavissimus
Longnose butterflyfish
Forcipiger longirostris
Longfin bannerfish
Heniochus acuminatus
Schooling bannerfish
Heniochus diphreutes
Masked bannerfish
Heniochus monoceros
Singular bannerfish
Heniochus singularius
Threeband pennantfish
Heniochus chrysostomus
Horned bannerfish
Heniochus varius
Red Sea bannerfish
Heniochus intermedius
Threebanded butterflyfish
Chaetodon humeralis
Blacknosed butterflyfish
Johnrandallia nigrirostris
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