Animal Species:Ocellate Butterflyfish, Parachaetodon ocellatus (Cuvier, 1831)

The Ocellate Butterflyfish is the only species in the genus Parachaetodon. It occurs in marine waters of the tropical eastern Indian Ocean to the western Pacific.

Alternative Name/s

Eye-spot Butterflyfish, Ocellate Coralfish, Six-spined Butterfly-fish, Six-spined Coralfish

Identification

The Ocellate Butterflyfish has a triangular dorsal fin that is mostly yellow. The fish has a white ground colour with five brown to orange bands. The first band, which passes through the eye is orange with black edges. The band that runs below the middle of the dorsal fin has a dark spot dorsally. There is an oval-shaped mark with a silver anterior margin on the caudal peduncle.

Size range

The species grows to about 18 cm in length.

Distribution

The Ocellate Butterflyfish occurs in marine waters of the tropical eastern Indian Ocean to the western Pacific. In Australia it is known from south-western Western Australia, around the tropical north of the country and south on the east coast to the central coast of New South Wales.

Distribution by collection data

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

What does this mean?

Habitat

It is found on coral reefs and in bays and estuaries often associated with seagrass beds.

Classification

Species:
ocellatus
Genus:
Parachaetodon
Family:
Chaetodontidae
Order:
Perciformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Allen, G.R., Steene, R. & M. Allen. 1998. A Guide to Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes. Odyssey Publishing/Tropical Reef Research. Pp. 250.
  2. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  3. Kuiter, R.H. 2002. Butterflyfishes. Bannerfishes and their relatives. A Comprehensive Guide to Chaetodontidae & Microcanthidae. TMC Publishing. Pp. 208.
  4. 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:

Tags Fishes, Ichthyology, Ocellate Butterflyfish, Parachaetodon ocellatus, Chaetodontidae,