| Pyramid butterflyfish | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Chaetodontidae |
| Genus: | Hemitaurichthys |
| Species: | H. polylepis |
| Binomial name | |
| Hemitaurichthys polylepis (Bleeker, 1857) | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
| |
The pyramid butterflyfish (Hemitaurichthys polylepis) is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae, native from central Indo-Pacific.
The pyramid butterflyfish is a small-sized fish that can reach a maximum length of 18 cm. [3]
Its body is compressed laterally with a rounded body profile, and its snout protrudes forwards slightly with a small protrusible (extendable) mouth. Its very characteristic livery leaves no doubt about the identification. A dark brown-yellow area, the colour of which may vary in intensity, fully masks the head and extends to a line from the first rays of the dorsal fin to the start of its pelvic fins. [4]
The rest of its body is white, peduncle and caudal fin included. Insertion of yellow-orange areas at the top of the side form a characteristic pyramidal pattern, hence the name of the fish. [5] The anal fin is also yellow-orange. [4]
The pyramid butterflyfish is widespread throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the central Indo-Pacific from Cocos Keeling and Christmas Island to Polynesia and from south Japan to New-Caledonia. [1] [6]
The pyramid butterflyfish appreciates the outer reef slopes from which it can swim out into open water to get its food. It can be seen at depths from 3 to 60 meters deep. [7]
The pyramid butterflyfish lives in large schools, and feeds on plankton in open water out of its shelter reef. [8]
The species as a planktivorous could be affected by climate-induced reductions in planktonic productivity. There do not appear to be any current threats to this species and it is listed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN. [1]
The banded butterflyfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish found in the tropical western Atlantic Ocean from Brazil to Bermuda. Common names include the banded butterflyfish, the butterbun, the butterflyfish, the Portuguese butterfly, the school mistress and the banded mariposa.
The ornate butterflyfish, or clown butterfyfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish in the family Chaetodontidae.
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.
Gorgasia preclara, the splendid garden eel or orange-barred garden eel, is a species of marine garden eel.
The schooling bannerfish, also known as the false moorish idol, is a marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish from the family Chaetodontidae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific area.
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 Spot-tailed Butterflyfish, Chaetodon ocellicaudus, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the central Indo- west Pacific region from Malaysia to New Guinea, north to the Philippines and Palau in Micronesia.
The mirror butterflyfish or oval-spot butterflyfish is a species of butterflyfish. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region from Indonesia to Japan and south to the Great Barrier Reef and Papua New Guinea. The species has also been reported from Madagascar, Mauritius and Réunion.
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 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.
The Spot-naped Butterflyfish, also known as the pig-face butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish. a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the Indo- West Pacific region from Sri Lanka to Queensland, north to Indonesia and the Philippines.
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 bird wrasse, Gomphosus varius, is a species of the wrasse family.
The barred thicklip wrasse is a species of fish belonging to the wrasse family, native from the Indo-Pacific.
Heniochus monoceros, the masked bannerfish, is a marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific area.
Heniochus chrysostomus, also known as the threeband pennantfish, threeband bannerfish or pennant bannerfish, is a marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish from the family Chaetodontidae.It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Hemitaurichthys zoster, commonly known as the brown-and-white butterflyfish, black pyramid butterflyfish, zoster butterflyfish, or brushtooth butterflyfish, is a marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae native to the Indian Ocean.
Chaetodon triangulum, the triangle butterflyfish or herringbone butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is native to the tropical Indian 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.
Hemitaurichthys thompsoni, Thompson's butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the Pacific Ocean.
