Animal Species:Pinstripe Butterflyfish, Chaetodon lunulatus Quoy & Gaimard, 1825

Alternative Name/s

Redfin Butterflyfish

Identification

The species can be recognised by its colouration. It has a yellowish tinge with oblique purple-blue stripes. A yellow-edged black bar passes through the eye, and a narrow black line crosses the cheek behind the eye. The red-orange anal fin has a yellow-edged black band along its base.

Size range

It grows to 15 cm in length.

Distribution

The Pinstripe Butterflyfish is known from the western Pacific. In Australia it occurs from off north-western Western Australia and from the northern Great Barrier Reef to southern 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.

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Pinstripe Butterflyfish specimens in the Australian Museum.

What does this mean?

Feeding and Diet

It eats coral polyps.

Classification

Species:

lunulatus

Genus:

Chaetodon

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. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
3. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557. (as C. trifasciatus).

Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated: 2 November 2012

Tags fishes, ichthyology, Pinstripe Butterflyfish, Chaetodon lunulatus, Chaetodontidae, black, yellow, blue, white, 'normal fish', 10 cm - 30 cm, stripes or bands, coral reef, marine, adult,