| Schooling bannerfish | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Chaetodontidae |
| Genus: | Heniochus |
| Species: | H. diphreutes |
| Binomial name | |
| Heniochus diphreutes D. S. Jordan, 1903 | |
The schooling bannerfish (Heniochus diphreutes), 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 schooling bannerfish is a small fish that can reach a maximum length of 18–21 cm. [2] [3]
Its body is compressed laterally, and the first rays of its dorsal fin stretch in a long white filament. Its background color is white with two large black diagonal bands. Beyond the second black stripe, the dorsal, caudal fins and pectoral fins are yellow. The head is white, the eyes are black and linked together by a black to gray band. The short snout, spotted with black to gray, has a small terminal, extensible mouth.
The schooling bannerfish is widespread throughout the tropical, subtropical and temperate waters of the Indo-Pacific from the eastern coast of Africa, Red Sea included, to Polynesia and Hawaii and from the Great barrier reef, to south Japan to the Kermadec Islands (New Zealand). [1] [2]
The schooling bannerfish prefers external reef slopes and channels. It has a large depth range and is usually observed at 5–30 m depth, but may reach 210 meters deep in some localities. [2] [4]
As is indicated by its common name, the schooling bannerfish lives in large groups. It feeds on zooplankton in the open water, and juveniles may act as cleaner fish, [2] [3] [5] and this has also been seen in adults. This oviparous species forms pairs to breed. [6] They have been observed cleaning parasites off the short sunfish ( Mola ramsayi ) off the Maldives. [7]
In some geographic areas, the schooling bannerfish is harvested for the aquarium trade and is commonly sold as a cheaper alternative to the Moorish idol. However, there do not appear to be any major current threats to this species, and it is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN. [1]
The butterflyfish are a group of conspicuous tropical marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae; the bannerfish and coralfish are also included in this group. The approximately 129 species in 12 genera are found mostly on the reefs of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. A number of species pairs occur in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, members of the huge genus Chaetodon.
The Moorish idol is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Zanclidae. It is the only member of the monospecific genus Zanclus and the only extant species within the Zanclidae. This species is found on reefs in the Indo-Pacific region.
The pennant coralfish, also known as the longfin bannerfish, reef bannerfish or coachman, is a species of fish of the family Chaetodontidae, native to the Indo-Pacific area.
Heniochus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, butterflyfishes from the family Chaetodontidae. They are native to the Indo-Pacific. Though very similar in appearance to the Moorish idol (Zanclus cornutus), the members of this genus are not closely related to it.
The lined butterflyfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish. a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae, one of the largest species in the genus Chaetodon. It has a wide range from the Red Sea to South Africa and as far east as southern Japan and Hawaii.
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 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.
The pyramid butterflyfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae, native from central Indo-Pacific.
Chelmonops curiosus, truncate coralfish, truncate butterflyfish, western talma or squareback butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish from the family Chaetodontidae. It is endemic to Australia.
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.
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.
Heniochus singularius, the singular bannerfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish from the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Heniochus pleurotaenia, the phantom bannerfish, is a marine fish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae, native from the central Indo-Pacific area.
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 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.
Halichoeres richmondi, commonly called the Richmond's wrasse or chain-lined wrasse, is a fish species in the wrasse family native from the central Indo-Pacific.
Heniochus varius, the horned bannerfish or humphead bannerfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae, native from the central Indo-Pacific area.
Eviota sebreei, common name Sebree's pygmy goby or striped dwarfgoby, is a species of fishes belonging to the family Gobiidae.
