Animal Species:Ornate Butterflyfish, Chaetodon ornatissimus Cuvier, 1831

The Ornate Butterflyfish is easily recognised by its colour pattern. It occurs in tropical marine waters throughout the Indo-Pacific.

An Ornate Butterflyfish at Tijou Reef

An Ornate Butterflyfish at Tijou Reef
Erik Schlögl © Erik Schlögl

Identification

The Ornate Butterflyfish is easily recognised by its colour pattern. It usually has six oblique orange stripes on the body, and black and yellow bars on the head. Between the eyes is a greyish triangular mark. The tail has two black bars.

Size range

The species grows to 18 cm in length.

Distribution

The Ornate Butterflyfish is found in tropical marine waters throughout the Indo-Pacific. In Australia it is known from central to north-western Western Australia and the entire length of the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Chaetodon ornatissimus

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Ornate Butterflyfish specimens in the Australian Museum.

What does this mean?

Feeding and Diet

It feeds on coral polyps.

Classification

Species:
ornatissimus
Genus:
Chaetodon
Family:
Chaetodontidae
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. 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, Ornate Butterflyfish, Chaetodon ornatissimus, Chaetodontidae, blue, orange, black, yellow, 'normal fish', 10 cm - 30 cm, stripes or bands, coral reef, marine, adult,