The members of the family Chaetodontidae, popularly know as butterflyfishes, coralfishes and bannerfishes. Most species of butterflyfish live in the warm tropical seas of the Indo-Pacific (about 90%) with the remainder in the Atlantic. Only a few species are found in subtropical waters, bordering onto subtemperate zones. The butterflyfish have a highly compressed body in which the back is raised , forming an elongate-oval to near circular shape in some; a small protactible mouth with brush-like teeth in the jaws; a continuous dorsal fin with strong and sharp spines in the anterior section, followed by a large-surface soft part; an anal fin mirroring the soft part of the dorsal fin , headed by 3-5 strong spines, of which the 2nd is often greatly enlarged.
Pyramid Butterfly
01340
Butterflies
Pyramid Butterfly
Hemitaurichthys zoster
Care:
BeginnerDiet:
OmnivorousLight:
MediumPlace of origin:
Western Indian Ocean
Widespread Indian Ocean, ranging to southern Java. A schooling planktivore, usually feeding along reef slopes and drop-offs at various depths from near surface to about 30m in pursuit of zooplankton. Readily identified by their 'humbug' colours - the black body with a broad white band and white tail. Length to 18cm.
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