Chaetodon ornatissimus
Chaetodon ornatissimus Cuvier, 1831
Family: Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes)
Order: Perciformes (perch-likes)
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
FishBase name: Ornate butterflyfish
Max. size: 20.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 9710)
Environment: reef-associated; marine; depth range 1 – 36 m
Climate: tropical; 30°N – 30°S
Importance: fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: 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: Indo-Pacific: Sri Lanka to the Hawaiian, Marquesan and Ducie islands, north to southern Japan, south to Lord Howe and Rapa Islands; throughout Micronesia.
Morphology: Dorsal spines (total): 12 – 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24 – 28; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 20 – 23. Body is white with orange to orange-brown oblique bands on the sides. Two broad yellow-edged black bars are on the head; one running across the eye and another on the snout.
Biology: Occur in clear waters and coral-rich areas of lagoon and seaward reefs. However, only common in seaward reefs (Ref. 1602). Engybenthic (Ref. 58302). Juveniles are solitary, living among branching corals, while adults are almost always in pairs and are home-ranging. Feed exclusively on coral tissue (Ref. 1602). Oviparous (Ref. 205). Form pairs during breeding (Ref. 205). Red List Status: Not Evaluated (Ref. 57073)
Dangerous: harmless Coordinator:
Main Ref: Myers, R.F.. 1991. (Ref. 1602)
