Chaetodon
Encyclopedia
Chaetodon is a tropical fish genus
in the family
Chaetodontidae. Like their relatives, they are known as "butterflyfish". This genus is by far the largest among the Chaetodontidae, with about 90 living species
included here, though most might warrant recognition as distinct genera.
Several subgenera have been proposed for splitting out of this massive group. By and by, it is becoming clear how the genus might be split up, with a range of DNA sequence
data in large parts agreeing with S.D. Blum's landmark 1988 phylogenetic assessment of osteology
.
Basically, a core group around the type species
Chaetodon capistratus would remain in Chaetodon, while maybe 4 clade
s would be split off. These could use the names Lepidochaetodon, Megaprotodon and Rabdophorus, and there is one unnamed group containing the Three-banded Butterflyfish (C. robustus) and its relatives. But the monophyly
of the Lepidochaetodon group is not fully established; it is both unclear whether Rhombochaetodon is a lineage distinct from Exornator, and whether Lepidochaetodon is indeed closer to these than to any other Chaetodon, particularly to some lineages otherwise placed in Megaprotodon.
Prognathodes
, for some time contained in Chaetodon, is worthy of recognition as full genus in any case. Genus status of Parachaetodon and Roa is possible, but not well-studied yet.
The oldest fossils that are usually assigned to Chaetodon date from the late Oligocene
, about 25 million years ago. But since it is not easy to distinguish this genus from close relatives, it may be that the Oligocene fossils are actually of other Chaetodontidae. The fossil record of this family is scant indeed, only Chelmon
(or some similar genus like Chelmonops
or Coradion
) being known from Miocene
remains. As even crude molecular clock
s suggest that the ancestors of the Chaetodon and the Chelmops lineage diverged in the Late Eocene already, nothing more can be said without new fossils being discovered.
Historically, more distantly related fish were placed in Chaetodon too, for resembling them in details – e.g. the common scat Scatophagus argus, which has a similar shape and size, as well as armored larvae like the Chaetodontidae – or simply because they are colorful, smallish, and unusually-looking – e.g. the quite unrelated Paradise Fish
, as C. chinensis.
Subgenus Lepidochaetodon (including Tifia)
Subgenus Rhombochaetodon (including Roaops, might belong in Exornator; tentatively placed here)
Subgenus Corallochaetodon (tentatively placed here)
Subgenus Discochaetodon
Subgenus Gonochaetodon (tentatively placed here)
Subgenus Megaprotodon
Subgenus Tetrachaetodon
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Chaetodontidae. Like their relatives, they are known as "butterflyfish". This genus is by far the largest among the Chaetodontidae, with about 90 living species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
included here, though most might warrant recognition as distinct genera.
Several subgenera have been proposed for splitting out of this massive group. By and by, it is becoming clear how the genus might be split up, with a range of DNA sequence
DNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
data in large parts agreeing with S.D. Blum's landmark 1988 phylogenetic assessment of osteology
Osteology
Osteology is the scientific study of bones. A subdiscipline of anatomy, anthropology, and archeology, osteology is a detailed study of the structure of bones, skeletal elements, teeth, morphology, function, disease, pathology, the process of ossification , the resistance and hardness of bones , etc...
.
Basically, a core group around the type species
Type species
In biological nomenclature, a type species is both a concept and a practical system which is used in the classification and nomenclature of animals and plants. The value of a "type species" lies in the fact that it makes clear what is meant by a particular genus name. A type species is the species...
Chaetodon capistratus would remain in Chaetodon, while maybe 4 clade
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
s would be split off. These could use the names Lepidochaetodon, Megaprotodon and Rabdophorus, and there is one unnamed group containing the Three-banded Butterflyfish (C. robustus) and its relatives. But the monophyly
Monophyly
In common cladistic usage, a monophyletic group is a taxon which forms a clade, meaning that it contains all the descendants of the possibly hypothetical closest common ancestor of the members of the group. The term is synonymous with the uncommon term holophyly...
of the Lepidochaetodon group is not fully established; it is both unclear whether Rhombochaetodon is a lineage distinct from Exornator, and whether Lepidochaetodon is indeed closer to these than to any other Chaetodon, particularly to some lineages otherwise placed in Megaprotodon.
Prognathodes
Prognathodes
Prognathodes is a genus of fishes in the family Chaetodontidae. In the past they were commonly included in the genus Chaetodon instead. They are found at rocky reefs in tropical oceans around the world, and are mainly found deeper than Chaetodon; often a depths below those possible in normal scuba...
, for some time contained in Chaetodon, is worthy of recognition as full genus in any case. Genus status of Parachaetodon and Roa is possible, but not well-studied yet.
The oldest fossils that are usually assigned to Chaetodon date from the late Oligocene
Oligocene
The Oligocene is a geologic epoch of the Paleogene Period and extends from about 34 million to 23 million years before the present . As with other older geologic periods, the rock beds that define the period are well identified but the exact dates of the start and end of the period are slightly...
, about 25 million years ago. But since it is not easy to distinguish this genus from close relatives, it may be that the Oligocene fossils are actually of other Chaetodontidae. The fossil record of this family is scant indeed, only Chelmon
Chelmon
Chelmon is a genus of tropical fish in the family Chaetodontidae.- Species :* Margined coralfish, Chelmon marginalis Richardson, 1842* Blackfin coralfish, Chelmon muelleri...
(or some similar genus like Chelmonops
Chelmonops
Chelmonops is a genus of tropical fish in the family Chaetodontidae.-Species:* Western talma, Chelmonops curiosus Kuiter, 1986* Truncate coralfish, Chelmonops truncatus...
or Coradion
Coradion
Coradion is a genus of tropical fish in the family Chaetodontidae.-Species:* Highfin coralfish, Coradion altivelis * Goldengirdled coralfish, Coradion chrysozonus...
) being known from Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
remains. As even crude molecular clock
Molecular clock
The molecular clock is a technique in molecular evolution that uses fossil constraints and rates of molecular change to deduce the time in geologic history when two species or other taxa diverged. It is used to estimate the time of occurrence of events called speciation or radiation...
s suggest that the ancestors of the Chaetodon and the Chelmops lineage diverged in the Late Eocene already, nothing more can be said without new fossils being discovered.
Historically, more distantly related fish were placed in Chaetodon too, for resembling them in details – e.g. the common scat Scatophagus argus, which has a similar shape and size, as well as armored larvae like the Chaetodontidae – or simply because they are colorful, smallish, and unusually-looking – e.g. the quite unrelated Paradise Fish
Paradise fish
Paradise fish or paradise gouramis are small freshwater labyrinth fish found in ditches and paddy fields in East Asia, ranging from the Korean Peninsula to Northern Vietnam....
, as C. chinensis.
Chaetodon sensu stricto
- Chaetodon capistratus – Foureye butterflyfishFoureye butterflyfishThe Four-eyed Butterflyfish is a butterflyfish . It is alternatively called the Foureye Butterflyfish. This species is found in the Western Atlantic from Massachusetts, USA and Bermuda to the West Indies and northern South America.Chaetodon capistratus is the type species of Chaetodon...
- Chaetodon ocellatus – Spotfin butterflyfishSpotfin butterflyfishThe spotfin butterflyfish, Chaetodon ocellatus, is a butterflyfish found in the western Atlantic Ocean, in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea....
- Chaetodon striatus – Banded butterflyfishBanded butterflyfishThe banded butterflyfish is a butterflyfish found in the western Atlantic Ocean from Brazil to Bermuda.The name is derived from the dark vertical bands on the fish's body. This, combined with a vertical, black bar through the eye, is designed to confuse predators....
C. robustus group
- Chaetodon hoefleri Steindachner, 1881 – Four-banded butterflyfish
- Chaetodon robustusChaetodon robustusThe Three-banded butterflyfish, Chaetodon robustus, is a species of fish in the Chaetodontidae family. It is endemic to Cape Verde.-References:* Roberts, C. 1996. . Downloaded on 4 August 2007....
– Three-banded butterflyfish
Lepidochaetodon group
Subgenus Exornator (including Burgessius, Heterochaetodon and possibly Rhombochaetodon; tentatively placed here)- Chaetodon citrinellus – Speckled butterflyfishSpeckled butterflyfishChaetodon citrinellus is a species of butterflyfish . It is commonly known as the Speckled Butterflyfish or Citron Butterflyfish...
, Citron butterflyfish - Chaetodon dolosusChaetodon dolosusThe African butterflyfish, Chaetodon dolosus, is a butterflyfish of the family Chaetodontidae found in the Western Indian Ocean, at depths from 40-200 metres The African butterflyfish, Chaetodon dolosus, is a butterflyfish of the family Chaetodontidae found in the Western Indian Ocean, at depths...
– African butterflyfishAfrican butterflyfishAfrican butterflyfish may refer to:* Freshwater butterflyfish, Pantodon bulchhozi, a freshwater bonytongue fish* Chaetodon dolosus, a saltwater butterflyfish... - Chaetodon guentheri Ahl, 1923 – Crochet butterflyfish
- Chaetodon guttatissimus – Peppered butterflyfishPeppered butterflyfishThe Peppered Butterflyfish is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Indian Ocean from the Red Sea south to Durban, South Africa and east to Christmas Island and western Thailand and Bali....
- Chaetodon miliaris – Millet butterflyfishMillet butterflyfishThe Millet Butterflyfish, Chaetodon miliaris, is a species of butterflyfish .In its subgenus Exornator it probably belongs to a group that also includes the African Butterflyfish , the Crochet Butterflyfish and the Reef Butterflyfish...
- Chaetodon multicinctus Garrett, 1863 – Pebbled butterflyfishPebbled butterflyfishPebbled butterflyfish are marine, perciform fish often found near reefs. They are at most in length, and white with yellow, brown, and black markings. These butterflyfish are territorial and form pairs. The pebbled butterflyfish occur near reefs in the eastern central Pacific, and are endemic to...
- Chaetodon pelewensis Kner, 1868 – Sunset butterflyfish
- Chaetodon punctatofasciatus – Spotband butterflyfishSpotband butterflyfishThe Spot-banded Butterflyfish or spotband butterflyfish is a species of butterflyfish ....
- Chaetodon quadrimaculatus – Fourspot butterflyfishFourspot butterflyfishThe Four-spotted Butterflyfish or fourspot butterflyfish is a species of butterflyfish found in the Pacific Ocean from the Ryukyus, Ogasawara Islands and Taiwan to the Hawaiian, Marquesan, and Pitcairn islands, south to the Samoan and Austral Islands and the Marianas and Marshall Islands in...
- Chaetodon sedentarius – Reef butterflyfishReef butterflyfishThe reef butterflyfish, Chaetodon sedentarius, is a butterflyfish of the family Chaetodontidae found in the western Atlantic Ocean from Brasil to North Carolina including Bermuda and the Gulf of Mexico....
Subgenus Lepidochaetodon (including Tifia)
- Chaetodon daedalma Jordan & Fowler, 1902 – Wrought-iron butterflyfish (tentatively placed here)
- Chaetodon interruptus – Yellow teardrop butterflyfishYellow teardrop butterflyfish-Range:The Yellow teardrop butterflyfish, Chaetodon interruptus, is a butterflyfish of the family Chaetodontidae found in the Indian ocean from East Africa , to Sumatra, Indonesia. Its length is up to 20 cm....
(formerly in C. unimaculatus) - Chaetodon kleinii – Sunburst butterflyfishSunburst butterflyfishThe Sunburst Butterflyfish is also known as the Black-lipped Butterflyfish or Klein's Butterflyfish. In the creoles of Mauritius and Réunion it is called papillon...
, black-lipped butterflyfish, Klein's butterflyfish - Chaetodon litus – Easter Island butterflyfishEaster Island butterflyfishThe Easter Island butterflyfish is a species of fish in the Chaetodontidae family. It is endemic to Chile.-Source:* McAllister, D. 1996. . Downloaded on 4 August 2007....
(tentatively placed here) - Chaetodon nippon Döderlein, 1883 – Japanese butterflyfish (tentatively placed here)
- Chaetodon smithi Randall, 1975 – Smith's butterflyfish (tentatively placed here)
- Chaetodon trichrous GüntherAlbert C. L. G. GüntherAlbert Karl Ludwig Gotthilf Günther FRS, also Albert Charles Lewis Gotthilf Günther , was a German-born British zoologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist....
, 1874 – Tahiti butterflyfish - Chaetodon unimaculatus – Teardrop butterflyfishTeardrop butterflyfishThe Teardrop Butterflyfish, Chaetodon unimaculatus, is a species of butterflyfish .In the Indian Ocean it is replaced by the Yellow Teardrop Butterflyfish , now considered to be a separate species but previously included in C. unimaculatus as a subspecies...
Subgenus Rhombochaetodon (including Roaops, might belong in Exornator; tentatively placed here)
- Chaetodon argentatus Smith & Radcliffe, 1911 – Asian butterflyfish
- Chaetodon blackburnii Desjardins, 1836 – Brownburnie (tentatively placed here)
- Chaetodon burgessi Allen & Starck, 1973 – Burgess' butterflyfish
- Chaetodon declivis Randall, 1975 – Marquesas butterflyfish (tentatively placed here)
- Chaetodon flavocoronatus – Yellow-crowned butterflyfishYellow-crowned butterflyfishThe Yellow-crowned butterflyfish is a species of fish in the Chaetodontidae family. It is endemic to Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.-Source:* Roberts, C. 1996. . Downloaded on 4 August 2007....
(tentatively placed here) - Chaetodon fremblii Bennett, 1828 – Blue-striped butterflyfish
- Chaetodon madagaskariensis – Seychelles butterflyfishSeychelles butterflyfishThe Seychelles Butterflyfish, Chaetodon madagaskariensis, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Indian Ocean from eastern Africa east to Cocos-Keeling Islands and Christmas Island, north to Sri Lanka...
- Chaetodon mertensii – Atoll butterflyfishAtoll butterflyfishThe Atoll Butterflyfish, Chaetodon mertensii, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Pacific Ocean from the Ryukyu Islands to the Philippines and extending to Lord Howe Island, Rapa Iti and the Tuamotus....
- Chaetodon mitratus GüntherAlbert C. L. G. GüntherAlbert Karl Ludwig Gotthilf Günther FRS, also Albert Charles Lewis Gotthilf Günther , was a German-born British zoologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist....
, 1860 – Indian butterflyfish (tentatively placed here) - Chaetodon paucifasciatus – Eritrean butterflyfishEritrean butterflyfishThe Eritrean Butterflyfish or Crown Butterflyfish, Chaetodon paucifasciatus, is a species of butterflyfish . It is essentially just known from the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, but has been reported from East Africa....
, Crown butterflyfish - Chaetodon tinkeri – Hawaiian butterflyfishHawaiian butterflyfishThe Hawaiian butterflyfish, Chaetodon tinkeri, is a member of the family Chaetodontidae of order Perciformes. It is also known as Tinker's Butterflyfish, after Spencer W. Tinker who discovered it in 1949, trapping them in fish traps at off Oahu, Hawaii.-Description:It grows to a maximum length of...
(tentatively placed here) - Chaetodon xanthurus – Pearlscale butterflyfishPearlscale butterflyfishThe Pearlscale Butterflyfish is a species of butterflyfish also known as Yellow-tailed Butterflyfish or Philippines Chevron Butterflyfish...
, Philippines chevron butterflyfish, yellow-tailed butterflyfish
Megaprotodon group
Subgenus "Citharoedus" (tentatively placed here)- Chaetodon meyeri – Scrawled butterflyfishScrawled butterflyfishThe Scrawled Butterflyfish, Chaetodon meyeri, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean from East Africa to the Line Islands; north to the Ryukyu Islands; south to the Great Barrier Reef; including Micronesia and the Galapagos Islands.Growing to a maximum...
- Chaetodon ornatissimus – Ornate butterflyfishOrnate butterflyfishThe Ornate Butterflyfish, Chaetodon ornatissimus, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in depths down to 36 m....
- Chaetodon reticulatus CuvierGeorges CuvierGeorges Chrétien Léopold Dagobert Cuvier or Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric Cuvier , known as Georges Cuvier, was a French naturalist and zoologist...
, 1831 – Mailed butterflyfishMailed butterflyfishThe mailed butterflyfish is a species of butterflyfish .-External links:*...
Subgenus Corallochaetodon (tentatively placed here)
- Chaetodon austriacus – Blacktail butterflyfishBlacktail butterflyfishThe Black-tailed Butterflyfish , also called Exquisite Butterflyfish, is known as Chaetodon austriacus by its scientific name. This species of butterflyfish is found in the Red Sea and around southern Oman only. Supposedly, a Black-tailed Butterflyfish was sighted in El Nido, Palawan by Dr...
, exquisite butterflyfish - Chaetodon lunulatus – Oval butterflyfishOval butterflyfishThe Oval Butterflyfish, Red-finned Butterflyfish or redfin butterflyfish is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Pacific Ocean from Eastern Indonesia to the Hawaiian islands...
, red-finned butterflyfish - Chaetodon melapterus Guichenot, 1863 – Arabian butterflyfish (tentatively placed here)
- Chaetodon trifasciatus – Melon butterflyfishMelon butterflyfishThe Melon Butterflyfish, Chaetodon trifasciatus, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Indian Ocean from East Africa to Western Java. This is one species of a closely related group which includes the Black-tailed Butterflyfish of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden and the Oval Butterflyfish...
Subgenus Discochaetodon
- Chaetodon aureofasciatus Macleay, 1878 – Golden butterflyfish
- Chaetodon octofasciatus – Eightband butterflyfishEightband butterflyfishThe Eight-banded Butterflyfish or eightband butterflyfish , is a species of butterflyfish...
- Chaetodon rainfordi McCulloch, 1923 – Rainford's butterflyfish
- Chaetodon tricinctus Waite, 1901 – Three-striped butterflyfish (tentatively placed here)
Subgenus Gonochaetodon (tentatively placed here)
- Chaetodon baronessa – Eastern triangular butterflyfishEastern triangular butterflyfishThe Eastern Triangle Butterflyfish, Chaetodon baronessa, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Indo-West Pacific region from the Cocos-Keeling Islands and Indonesia in the eastern Indian Ocean to Fiji and Tonga, north to southern Japan, south to New Caledonia and New South Wales in...
- Chaetodon larvatus CuvierGeorges CuvierGeorges Chrétien Léopold Dagobert Cuvier or Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric Cuvier , known as Georges Cuvier, was a French naturalist and zoologist...
, 1831 – Hooded butterflyfish - Chaetodon triangulum CuvierGeorges CuvierGeorges Chrétien Léopold Dagobert Cuvier or Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric Cuvier , known as Georges Cuvier, was a French naturalist and zoologist...
, 1831 – Triangle butterflyfish
Subgenus Megaprotodon
- Chaetodon trifascialis – Chevron ButterflyfishChevron butterflyfishNot to be confused with Chaetodon trifasciatus . See also Chaetodon tricinctus and Three-banded Butterflyfish....
, Triangulate butterflyfish, V-lined butterflyfish
Subgenus Tetrachaetodon
- Chaetodon andamanensis KuiterRudie KuiterRudie Kuiter is an Australian underwater photographer, taxonomist, and marine biologist. He has described many new species of seahorse.He was born in the Netherlands.-Publications:* Photo Guide to Fishes of the Maldives by Rudie H. Kuiter...
& Debelius, 1999 – Andaman butterflyfish (tentatively placed here) - Chaetodon bennetti – Bluelashed butterflyfishBluelashed butterflyfishThe bluelashed butterflyfish, Chaetodon bennetti, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Indo-Pacific from East Africa to the Pitcairn Islands, north to Japan and south to Lord Howe Island and Rapa Iti....
- Chaetodon plebeius CuvierGeorges CuvierGeorges Chrétien Léopold Dagobert Cuvier or Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric Cuvier , known as Georges Cuvier, was a French naturalist and zoologist...
, 1831 – Blue-blotched butterflyfish - Chaetodon speculum – Mirror butterflyfishMirror butterflyfishThe Mirror Butterflyfish, Chaetodon speculum, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans 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.It grows to a...
- Chaetodon zanzibarensis Playfair, 1867 – Zanzibar butterflyfish
Parachaetodon group
- Chaetodon oligacanthus Bleeker, 1850 – Sixspine butterflyfish (if separated, name becomes Parachaetodon ocellatus)
Rabdophorus group
Including Aspilurochaetodon, Chaetodontops- Chaetodon adiergastos – Philippine butterflyfishPhilippine butterflyfishThe Philippine Butterflyfish, Chaetodon adiergastos, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the western Pacific, from the Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan to Java and northwestern Australia....
- Chaetodon auriga – Threadfin butterflyfishThreadfin butterflyfishThe Threadfin Butterflyfish, Chaetodon auriga, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Indo-Pacific region from the Red Sea and eastern Africa to the Hawaiian, Marquesan, and Ducie islands, north to southern Japan, south to Lord Howe Island and Rapa Iti, at depths of between 1 and 35...
- Chaetodon auripesChaetodon auripesChaetodon auripes, the oriental butterflyfish, is a species of butterflyfish in the genus Chaetodon....
Jordan & Snyder, 1901 – Oriental butterflyfish (tentatively placed here) - Chaetodon collare – Redtail butterflyfishRedtail butterflyfishThe Red-tailed Butterflyfish or redtail butterflyfish , also known as the Pakistani Butterflyfish, is a species of butterflyfish ....
, Pakistani butterflyfish - Chaetodon decussatus – Indian vagabond butterflyfishIndian vagabond butterflyfishThe Indian Vagabond Butterflyfish, Chaetodon decussatus, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Indo-West Pacific, from the Maldives via India, Sri Lanka and the Andaman Sea to the westernmost portion of the Indonesian archipelago.Growing to a maximum of 20 cm long, it is found on rich...
- Chaetodon ephippium – Saddle butterflyfishSaddle butterflyfishThe Saddle Butterflyfish, Chaetodon ephippium, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans from Sri Lanka and the Cocos-Keeling Islands to the Hawaiian, Marquesan and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to Rowley Shoals and New South Wales in...
- Chaetodon falcula – Blackwedged butterflyfishBlackwedged butterflyfishThe Black-wedged Butterflyfish, Chaetodon falcula, is a species of butterflyfish . IT is found in the Indian Ocean, from eastern Africa south to 27°S and east to Indonesia.It grows to a maximum of 20 cm long...
- Chaetodon fasciatus – Diagonal butterflyfishDiagonal butterflyfishThe Diagonal Butterflyfish , also known as the Red Sea Raccoon Butterflyfish, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Red Sea only....
, Red Sea raccoon butterflyfish - Chaetodon flavirostris Günther, 1874 – Black butterflyfishBlack butterflyfishThe Black Butterflyfish is a species of butterflyfish .-References:*...
- Chaetodon gardineri Norman, 1939 – Gardner's butterflyfish (tentatively placed here)
- Chaetodon leucopleura Playfair, 1867 – Somali butterflyfish (tentatively placed here)
- Chaetodon lineolatus – Lined butterflyfishLined butterflyfishThe Lined Butterflyfish is a butterflyfish , one of the largest species in the genus Chaetodon...
- Chaetodon lunula – Raccoon butterflyfishRaccoon butterflyfishThe raccoon butterflyfish, Chaetodon lunula, also known as the crescent-masked butterflyfish or lunule butterflyfish, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Indo-Pacific region and in the southeast Atlantic...
, Crescent-masked butterflyfish, lunule butterflyfish - Chaetodon melannotus – Blackback butterflyfishBlackback butterflyfishThe Black-backed Butterflyfish or blackback butterflyfish Chaetodon melannotus, is a species of butterflyfish . It ranges from the Red Sea and East Africa to Samoa, to southern Japan and throughout Micronesia....
- Chaetodon mesoleucos ForsskålPeter ForsskålPeter Forsskål, sometimes spelled Pehr Forsskål, Peter Forskaol, Petrus Forskål or Pehr Forsskåhl, was a Swedish explorer, orientalist, naturalist and an apostle of Carl Linnaeus.-Early life:...
, 1775 – White-faced butterflyfish - Chaetodon nigropunctatus Sauvage, 1880 – Black-spotted butterflyfish (tentatively placed here)
- Chaetodon ocellicaudus – Spot-tail butterflyfishSpot-tail butterflyfishThe Spot-tailed Butterflyfish, Chaetodon ocellicaudus, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Pacific Ocean from Malaysia to New Guinea, north to the Philippines and Palau in Micronesia....
- Chaetodon oxycephalus – Spot-naped butterflyfish
- Chaetodon rafflesii – Latticed butterflyfishLatticed butterflyfishThe Latticed Butterflyfish, Chaetodon rafflesii, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Indo-Pacific region from Sri Lanka to the Tuamotu Islands, north to southern Japan, south to the Great Barrier Reef, and from Palau to the eastern Caroline Islands in Micronesia.It grows to a...
- Chaetodon selene – Yellow-dotted butterflyfishYellow-dotted butterflyfishThe Yellow-dotted Butterflyfish, Chaetodon selene, is a poorly known fish species which has been recorded in the Indo-Pacific region from Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea, Taiwan and Japan....
- Chaetodon semeion – Dotted butterflyfishDotted butterflyfishThe Dotted Butterflyfish, Chaetodon semeion, is a species of butterflyfish . It 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.It grows to a maximum of long. The body is golden yellow...
- Chaetodon semilarvatus – Bluecheek butterflyfishBluecheek butterflyfishThe blue-cheeked butterflyfish, Chaetodon semilarvatus, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, at depths of between 3 and 20 m.Its length is up to...
- Chaetodon ulietensis – Pacific double-saddle butterflyfishPacific double-saddle butterflyfishThe Pacific Double-saddle Butterflyfish or False Furcula Butterflyfish , is a species of butterflyfish . It flourishes in coral-rich environments in the Indo-Pacific region. Their range extends from the Cocos-Keeling Islands to the Tuamotu Islands, and north to Japan...
, false falcula butterflyfish - Chaetodon vagabundus – Vagabond butterflyfishVagabond butterflyfishThe Vagabond Butterflyfish, Chaetodon vagabundus, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found from the Red Sea and off East Africa as far east as the Tuamotu Islands, north to southern Japan and south to the Austral Islands....
- Chaetodon wiebeli Kaup, 1863 – Hongkong butterflyfish
- Chaetodon xanthocephalus – Yellowhead butterflyfishYellowhead butterflyfishThe Yellowhead butterflyfish, Chaetodon xanthocephalus, is a member of the Chaetodontidae.-Description:Grows to a maximum of 20cm long. Overall color is white to pale grey with a series of five to six darker lines shaped in broad V's across the body. The head is covered by a broad yellow band and...
(tentatively placed here)
Roa group
- Chaetodon australis Kuiter, 2004 – Triple-banded butterflyfish
- Chaetodon excelsa (Jordan, 1921) – Hawaiian gold-barred butterflyfish
- Chaetodon jayakari Norman, 1939 – Indian gold-barred butterflyfish
- Chaetodon modestus Temminck & Schlegel, 1844 – Brown-banded butterflyfish
Incertae sedis
Most are probably either Chaetodon sensu stricto or C. robustus group.- Chaetodon assarius Waite, 1905 – West Australian butterflyfish
- Chaetodon dialeucos Salm & Mee, 1989 – Oman butterflyfish
- Chaetodon hemichrysus Burgess & Randall, 1978 – Half-yellow butterflyfish
- Chaetodon humeralis Günther, 1860
- Chaetodon marleyi – Marley's butterflyfishMarley's butterflyfishMarley's butterflyfish is a species of fish in the Chaetodontidae family. It is also called the doubledash or doublesash butterflyfish. It is found in Mozambique and South Africa, and is an ornamental fish. Its closest relative is the West African Chaetodon hoefleri.It feeds on polychaetes,...
- Chaetodon sanctaehelenae Günther, 1868 – Saint Helena butterflyfish