Peppered butterflyfish

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Peppered butterflyfish
Chaetodon guttatissimus 01.jpg
Diani, Kenya
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Acanthuriformes
Family: Chaetodontidae
Genus: Chaetodon
Subgenus: Chaetodon (Exornator)
Species:
C. guttatissimus
Binomial name
Chaetodon guttatissimus
Synonyms [2]

Chaetodon maculatus Sauvage, 1891

The peppered butterflyfish (Chaetodon guttatissimus) is a species marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish from the (family Chaetodontidae). It is found in the Indian Ocean.

Contents

Description

The peppered butterflyfish is silvery white in colour marked with irregular vertical rows of dark spots or speckles on the flanks, these reorient to a more horizontal plane on the lower flanks. There is a thin, vertical dark bar running through the eye> The rear of the dorsal fin has an orange bar and this reaches the upper part of the caudal peduncle. The caudal fin has a black submarginal band while the dorsal fin has a yellow margin. [3] The dorsal fin contains 12-13 spines and 22-24 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 16-18 soft rays. This fish attains a maximum total length of 12 centimetres (4.7 in). [2]

Distribution

The peppered butterflyfish is found in the Indian Ocean where its range extends from the East African coast where it ranges from Somalia to South Africa and across the Indian Ocean as far east as Bali in Indonesia and the Australian territories of Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. It appears to avoid the mainland coasts of Southern Asia but can be found in the Maldives, off Sri Lanka and the Indian islands of the Andamans and the Nicobars and other islands in the Andaman Sea. [1]

Habitat and biology

The peppered butterflyfish is found in coral rich areas in lagoons and seaward reef slopes, where it lives either as solitary individuals or in pairs. [3] It may be encountered in small schools. It feeds on invertebrates such as polychaetes as well as algae. [2] However, a large part of its diet is coral polyps and it may be an obligate coral eater. [3] It is an oviparous species which breeds in pairs. [2]

Taxonomy

The peppered butterflyfish was first formally described in by the 1833 by the English zoologist Edward Turner Bennett (1797-1836) with the type locality given as Sri Lanka. [4] This is one of the members of the subgenus Exornator. It is part of a close-knit group which also includes the pebbled butterflyfish (C. multicinctus), the spot-banded butterflyfish (C. punctatofasciatus) and the sunset butterflyfish ( C. pelewensis ). It is suspected that these four are able to produce fertile hybrids. If the genus Chaetodon is split up, Exornator might become a subgenus of Lepidochaetodon. [5] [6] It is known to hybridise with the spot-banded butterflyfish. [3]

Utilisation and threats

The peppered butterflyfish is difficult to keep in captivity and is rare in the aquarium trade. As a species which is likely to be an obligate corallivore it needs live coral to feed on and it would be expected to suffer population declines following coral die offs or bleaching events. However, an event of this kind in the Seychelles did not lead to an observed decrease in the population of peppered butterflyfish. [1]

Related Research Articles

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The millet butterflyfish is a species of butterflyfish in the family Chaetodontidae. Other common names include the lemon butterflyfish and the millet-seed butterflyfish. It is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and the Johnston Atoll, where it is found at depths down to 250 m (820 ft). Although it has a limited range, it is common around Hawaii, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed its conservation status as being of "least concern".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teardrop butterflyfish</span> Species of fish

The teardrop butterflyfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the (family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eritrean butterflyfish</span> Species of fish

The Eritrean butterflyfish or crown butterflyfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is essentially just known from the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, but has been reported from East Africa. It grows up to 14 cm (5.5 in) in length. It is white with black chevrons, except for a red zone stretching from the aft dorsal fin across the caudal peduncle to the end of the anal fin. A red bar runs vertically through the caudal fin. There are black eyestripes and a black "crown" with white border.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dotted butterflyfish</span> Species of fish

The dotted butterflyfish 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scrawled butterflyfish</span> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eightband butterflyfish</span> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bluelashed butterflyfish</span> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spotband butterflyfish</span> Species of fish

The spot-banded butterflyfish or spotband butterflyfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is from the western Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Latticed butterflyfish</span> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellow-dotted butterflyfish</span> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seychelles butterflyfish</span> Species of fish

The Seychelles butterflyfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the Indian Ocean from eastern Africa east to Cocos-Keeling Islands and Christmas Island, north to Sri Lanka. The Seychelles butterflyfish is found in areas of rich coral growth on seaward reefs, at 10–40 m depth.

<i>Chaetodon falcula</i> Species of fish

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mailed butterflyfish</span> Species of fish

The mailed butterflyfish, also known as the reticulated butterflyfish or black butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae, This species is found on reefs in the central and western Pacific Ocean. It can be found in the aquarium trade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black butterflyfish</span> Species of fish

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.

<i>Chaetodon pelewensis</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Chaetodon plebeius</i> Species of fish

Chaetodon plebeius, the blueblotch butterflyfish, bluespot butterflyfish, bluedash butterflyfish or grey-blotched butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

<i>Chaetodon andamanensis</i> Species of fish

Chaetodon andamanensis, commonly known as the Andaman butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is native to the Indian Ocean.

<i>Chaetodon aureofasciatus</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Chaetodon rainfordi</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Chaetodon melapterus</i> Species of fish

Chaetodon melapterus, the Arabian butterflyfish, blackfin butterflyfish, or black-finned melon butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the north western Indian Ocean.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Pyle, R.; Myers, R.F.; Craig, M.T.; Pratchett, M. (2010). "Chaetodon guttatissimus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2010: e.T165619A6069598. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T165619A6069598.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Chaetodon guttatissimus". FishBase . December 2019 version.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Bray, D.J. & Thompson, A.S. (2020). "Chaetodon guttatissimus". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  4. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Chaetodon guttatissimus". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  5. ↑ 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. Bibcode:2007MolPE..45...50F. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2007.05.018. PMID   17625921.
  6. ↑ 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 2008-09-01.
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