The Great Fiji Butterflyfish Count

Vagabond butterflyfish

Chaetodon vagabundus Linnaeus, 1758
Family: Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes) picture (Chvag_u7.jpg) by Patzner, R.


AquaMaps | Point map |
Order: Perciformes (perch-likes)
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
FishBase name: Vagabond butterflyfish
Max. size: 23.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 9710)
Environment: reef-associated; non-migratory; marine; depth range ? – 30 m
Climate: tropical; 28°N – 32°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 (11.94), based on Lmax and K (Ref. 59153)
Distribution:
Gazetteer
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea (Ref. 5372) and East Africa to the Line and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to the Lord Howe and the Austral islands. Closely related to Chaetodon decussatus.
Morphology: Dorsal spines (total): 13 – 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 22 – 25; Anal spines: 2 – 3; Anal soft rays: 19 – 22. Black bands over head and tail (Ref. 48636).
Biology: Found in reef flats, lagoon and seaward reefs and sometimes in turbid waters subject to freshwater runoff. Swim in pairs. Omnivorous, feed on algae, coral polyps, crustaceans and worms (Ref. 5503). Oviparous (Ref. 205), monogamous (Ref. 52884). Stable monogamous pairs with both pair members jointly defending a feeding territory against other pairs (Ref. 58331), but often accompanies other species without being aggressive. Easily maintained in tanks.
Red List Status: Not Evaluated (Ref. 57073)
Dangerous: harmless
Coordinator:
Main Ref: Myers, R.F.. 1991. (Ref. 1602)