Animal Species:Rainford's Butterflyfish, Chaetodon rainfordi (McCulloch, 1923)

Rainford's Butterflyfish can be recognised by its colouration. The species occurs from southern Papua New Guinea to southern Queensland.

A Rainford's Butterflyfish at Ribbon Reef

A Rainford's Butterflyfish at Ribbon Reef
Erik Schlögl © Erik Schlögl

Identification

Rainford's Butterflyfish can be recognised by its colouration. The fish is yellow with a dark-margined orange bar though the eye and a narrower orange bar through the pectoral base. There are two blue-grey bands with yellow-orange margins on the body.

Size range

The species grows to 15 cm in length.

Distribution

Rainford's Butterflyfish is known from marine waters of southern Papua New Guinea 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.

Chaetodon rainfordi

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Rainford's Butterflyfish specimens in the Australian Museum.

What does this mean?

Feeding and Diet

It eats algae and benthic invertebrates.

Classification

Species:
rainfordi
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.


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags fishes, ichthyology, Rainford's Butterflyfish, Chaetodon rainfordi, Chaetodontidae, yellow, white, 'normal fish', 10 cm - 30 cm, stripes or bands, marine, adult,