Bluespot Butterflyfish, Chaetodon plebeius (Cuvier 1831)

ANIMAL SPECIES:Bluespot Butterflyfish, Chaetodon plebeius (Cuvier 1831)

The Bluespot Butterflyfish are usually found in pairs. They live off coastal and inner reefs feeding mainly on coral polyps.

Alternative Name/s

Also known as a Blue-dash Butterflyfish.

Identification

The Bluespot Butterflyfish has thin dark stripes on the body and a patch of blue on the upper sides. There is a black spot on the caudal peduncle and a blue-edged black bar through the eye. Juveniles resemble adults but lack the blue patch on the sides of the body.

Size range

The Bluespot Butterflyfish grows to 15 cm in length.

Distribution

The species lives in tropical marine waters throughout the Indo-Australian archipelago, north to Japan and east to Fiji. In Australia it is recorded from southern to north-western Western Australia and from the northern Great Barrier Reef to northern New South Wales.

Distribution by collection data

Biomaps map of Bluespot Butterflyfish specimens in the Australian Museum collection.

What does this mean?

Behaviour and adaptations

Feeding and Diet

It eats mostly coral polyps.

Classification

Species:: plebeius
Genus:: Chaetodon
Family:: Chaetodontidae
Order:: Perciformes
Class:: Actinopterygii
Subphylum:: Vertebrata
Phylum:: Chordata
Kingdom:: Animalia

What does this mean?

References

Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
Allen, G.R., Steene, R. & M. Allen. 1998. A Guide to Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes. Odyssey Publishing/Tropical Reef Research. Pp. 250.
Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 201.
Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.

Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated: 7 August 2010

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