Diagonal butterflyfish

Diagonal butterflyfish
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Acanthuriformes
Family:	Chaetodontidae
Genus:	Chaetodon
Subgenus:	Chaetodon (Rabdophorus)
Species:	C. fasciatus
Binomial name
Chaetodon fasciatus Forsskål, 1775
Synonyms [2]
Rabdophorus linophora fasciatus(Forsskål, 1775) Chaetodon flavus Bloch & Schneider, 1801

The diagonal butterflyfish (Chaetodon fasciatus), also known as the Red Sea raccoon butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the Red Sea and western Indian Ocean. ^[2]

Description

The diagonal butterflyfish has a yellow body marked with 11 diagonal stripes. On the head there is a vertical black band through the eye and an incomplete white band on the forehead. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins are yellow. ^[3] This species attains a maximum total length of 22 centimetres (8.7 in). ^[2]

Distribution

The diagonal butterflyfish is found in the northwestern Indian Ocean. It has been recorded from the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden south as far as Kenya. ^[1]

Habitat and biology

Diagonal butterflyfish are found over and around corals, on which they feed. ^[4] They have also been observed feeding on gelatinous zooplankton, such as jellyfish (Scyphozoa) and comb jellies (Ctenophora). ^[5]

Systematics

The diagonal butterflyfish was first formally described in 1775 by the Swedish speaking Finnish born naturalist Peter Forsskål (1732-1763) with the type locality given as Jeddah. ^[6] It belongs to the large subgenus Rabdophorus which might warrant recognition as a distinct genus. In this group, its closest relative is probably the very similar common raccoon butterflyfish (C. lunula). Other close relatives appear to be the black butterflyfish ( C. flavirostris ), Philippine butterflyfish (C. adiergastos), and perhaps also the unusual red-tailed butterflyfish (C. collare). Although the coloration of this group varies quite a lot, they are all largish butterflyfishes with an oval outline, and most have a pattern of ascending oblique stripes on the flanks. Except in the red-tailed butterflyfish, there is at least a vestigial form of the "raccoon" mask, with a white space between the dark crown and eye areas. ^{[7] [8]}

References

1. Myers, R.F.; Pratchett, M. (2010). "Chaetodon fasciatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2010 e.T165705A6096997. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T165705A6096997.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
2. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Chaetodon fasciatus". FishBase . December 2019 version.
3. "Chaetodon fasciatus". Saltcorner. Bob Goemans. 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
4. Siliotti, A. (2002). Fishes of the Red Sea. Geodia, Verona. ISBN   88-87177-42-2.
5. Bos A.R.; Cruz-Rivera E. & Sanad A.M. (2016). "Herbivorous fishes Siganus rivulatus (Siganidae) and Zebrasoma desjardinii (Acanthuridae) feed on Ctenophora and Scyphozoa in the Red Sea". Marine Biodiversity. 47: 243–246. doi:10.1007/s12526-016-0454-9.
6. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Chaetodon". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 21 December 2020.
7. Fessler, Jennifer L.; Westneat, Mark W (2007). "Molecular phylogenetics of the butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae): Taxonomy and biogeography of a global coral reef fish family". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 45 (1): 50–68. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2007.05.018.
8. Hsu, Kui-Ching; Chen, Jeng-Ping & Shao, Kwang-Tsao (2007). "Molecular phylogeny of Chaetodon (Teleostei: Chaetodontidae) in the Indo-West Pacific: evolution in geminate species pairs and species groups" (PDF). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement. 14: 77–86. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-08-11. Retrieved 2008-09-02. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-08-11. Retrieved 2008-09-02.

External links

• Photos of Diagonal butterflyfish in the Sealife Collection