| Dotted butterflyfish | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Chaetodontidae |
| Genus: | Chaetodon |
| Subgenus: | Chaetodon (Rabdophorus) |
| Species: | C. semeion |
| Binomial name | |
| Chaetodon semeion Bleeker, 1855 | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
| |
The dotted butterflyfish (Chaetodon semeion) is a species of marine ray-finned fish. a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean.
The dotted butterflyfish is a bright golden yellow colour with a vertical, teardrop shaped bar running through the eye. It has a blue forehead and there are slightly oblique rows of black spots along their flanks. [3] The dorsal, anal, pectoral and pelvic fins are yellow, [4] with the bases of the dorsal and anal fins coloured black, and a filament growing out of the soft rayed part of the dorsal fin. [3] Females have a notably thickened abdominal region. This species has 13-14 spines and 23-26 soft rays in its dorsal fin, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 19-22 soft rays. They attain a maximum total length of 26 centimetres (10 in). [2]
The dotted butterflyfish is found in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean from the Maldives to the Tuamotu Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands and south to the Great Barrier Reef. [1]
The dotted butterflyfish is found at depths between 2 and 30 metres (6.6 and 98.4 ft). It is an uncommon species which occurs in coral rich areas of clear water such as lagoons and semi-protected seaward reefs, it is usually found in pairs or small groups and more wary than most species of Chaetodon . [2] They are an oviparous species. [1] This species feeds on tunicates and other ascidians, and a variety of benthic invertebrates. [4]
The dotted butterflyfish was first formally described in 1855 by the Dutch physician, ichthyologist and herpetologist Pieter Bleeker (1819-1878) with the type locality being given as Cocos (Keeling) Islands, an Australian Indian Ocean territory. [5] The specific name semeion means "banner" and is thought to be a reference to the long dorsal fin filament. [6] This species belongs to the large subgenus Rabdophorus which might warrant recognition as a distinct genus. In this group, it appears to represent a distinct lineage, with the saddle butterflyfish (C. ephippium) perhaps the only somewhat closely related species. Next closest seems to be a group including the blackback butterflyfish (C. melannotus), spot-tailed butterflyfish (C. ocellicaudus) and yellow-dotted butterflyfish (C. selene), but these are already so distant that their ancestors must have diverged from the saddle butterflyfish's soon after the Rabdophorus lineage started to diversify. [7] [8]
The reef butterflyfish. also known as the least butterflyfish, Atlantic butterflyfish, butterbun or school mistress, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish of the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean.
The black-backed butterflyfish or blackback butterflyfish is a species of butterflyfish. It is widespread through the Indo-Pacific area from the Red Sea and East Africa to Samoa, to southern Japan and throughout Micronesia.
The chevron butterflyfish, also known as chevroned butterflyfish, triangulate butterflyfish or V-lined butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution.
The vagabond butterflyfish, also known as the crisscross butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
The saddle butterflyfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans from Sri Lanka and the Cocos-Keeling Islands to the Hawaiian, Marquesan and Tuamotu islands, north to southern Japan, south to Rowley Shoals and New South Wales in Australia.
Chaetodon xanthocephalus, known commonly as the Yellowhead butterflyfish, is a species of marine fish in the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the Indian Ocean.
The scrawled butterflyfish, also known as Meyer's butterflyfish or the maypole butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
The eight-banded Butterflyfish, also known as the eightband butterflyfish or eight-striped butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region where it is associated with reefs.
The bluelashed butterflyfish, also known as the eclipse butterflyfish, archer butterflyfish or Bennett's butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae, It is found in the Indo-Pacific.
The latticed butterflyfish, also known as Raffles’ coralfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Yellow-dotted Butterflyfish is a poorly known marine ray-finned fish species, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the Indi-Western Pacific Region.
Chaetodon falcula, the blackwedged butterflyfish or falcula butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the Indian Ocean.
The Black Butterflyfish, also known as the dusky butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finnedfish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is native to the Pacific Ocean.
Chaetodon pelewensis, the dot dash butterflyfish, spotbanded butterflyfish or punctato butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the western Pacific Ocean.
Chaetodon guentheri, Günther's butterflyfish or the crochet butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is native to The western Pacific Ocean.
Chaetodon wiebeli, commonly known as the Hong Kong butterflyfish, Wiebel's butterflyfish or blackcap butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is native to the Western Pacific Ocean.
Chaetodon gardineri, Gardiner's butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is native to the Indian Ocean.
Chaetodon aureofasciatus, the golden butterflyfish, golden- banded butterflyfish, golden-striped butterflyfish or sunburst butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. This coral eating species is found on shallow reefs in the western Pacific Ocean.
Chaetodon rainfordi, Rainfords's butterflyfish, also known as the gold-barred butterflyfish or the Northern butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish, belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean where it is associated with coral reefs.
The Oman butterflyfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is native to the northwestern Indian Ocean.
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