Threebanded butterflyfish (Chaetodon humeralis)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Chaetodon humeralis
- Common name
- Threebanded butterflyfish
- Category
- Fish
- Family
- Chaetodontidae
- Genus
- Chaetodon
- Size
- 10–18 cm
- Depth
- 1–30 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- rocky-reef, coral-reef
- Behaviours
- pair, schooling
- Ocean zones
- Caribbean, Eastern Pacific
Description
Chaetodon humeralis reaches 18 cm. The only common and widely distributed butterflyfish in Eastern Pacific. Silvery-white to cream body with distinctive large black spot on shoulder (hence humeralis), 2-3 more or less marked dark vertical bands, black eye band, yellow tail with dark margin. Lives in faithful pairs or small schools from 1 to 30 m on rocky and coral reefs from Gulf of California to Peru, Galapagos. Omnivore. Iconic photo subject, replaces the abundance of tropical Chaetodon in this zone poor in Chaetodontidae diversity.
Photo of Threebanded butterflyfish
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Threebanded butterflyfish?
- Threebanded butterflyfish (Chaetodon humeralis) reaches 10–18 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Threebanded butterflyfish?
- Threebanded butterflyfish is found between 1–30 m deep.
- Is the Threebanded butterflyfish dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Threebanded butterflyfish?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Threebanded butterflyfish?
- Found in: Caribbean, Eastern Pacific.
Other species in the genus Chaetodon
- Chaetodon sedentarius - Reef butterflyfish
- Chaetodon ocellatus - Spotfin butterflyfish
- Chaetodon fasciatus - Diagonal butterflyfish
- Chaetodon semilarvatus - Bluecheek butterflyfish
- Chaetodon auriga - Threadfin butterflyfish
- Chaetodon lunula - Raccoon butterflyfish
Other species in the family Chaetodontidae
- Forcipiger flavissimus - Longnose butterflyfish
- Johnrandallia nigrirostris - Barberfish
- Heniochus diphreutes - Schooling bannerfish
- Heniochus varius - Humphead bannerfish
- Forcipiger longirostris - Longnose Butterflyfish
- Prognathodes falcifer - Falcate Coralfish
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 273343)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 2385520)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia