The Great Fiji Butterflyfish Count

Chaetodon pelewensis Kner, 1868

Family: Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes)  Chaetodon pelewensis, Chaetodontidae, Sunset butterflyfish

Order: Perciformes (perch-likes)

Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)

FishBase name: Sunset butterflyfish

Max. size: 12.5 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 4859)

Environment: reef-associated; marine; depth range 1 – 30 m

Climate: tropical; 10°S – 30°

Importance: Saquarium: commercial; price category: not marketed/unknown

Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months(Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Vulnerability: Low vulnerability (10.00), based on Lmax and K (Ref. 59153)

Distribution: Gazetteer Pacific Ocean: Australia to Fiji, Samoa, Tuamoto Archipelago and the Society Islands.

Morphology: Dorsal spines (total): 13 – 14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 22 – 25; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 17 – 18. Body is pale tan with oblique rows of black spots, becoming solid bands on the upper half of the body. A dark-edged orange bar runs vertically on the head through the eye. Orange caudal peduncle (Ref. 48636).

Biology: Feed mainly on coral polyps and small benthic invertebrates (Ref. 2334, 48636). Oviparous (Ref. 205), monogamous (Ref. 52884). Adults usually paired during breeding (Ref. 9710), but juveniles solitary (Ref. 48636). Can adapt easily to tank life and willingly accept nearly all kinds of food offered.

Red List Status: Not Evaluated (Ref. 57073)

Dangerous: harmless

Coordinator:

Main Ref: Steene, R.C.. 1978. (Ref. 4859)