Raccoon butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Chaetodon lunula
- Common name
- Raccoon butterflyfish
- Category
- Fish
- Family
- Chaetodontidae
- Genus
- Chaetodon
- Size
- 15–20 cm
- Depth
- 0–30 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- coral-reef, rocky-reef
- Behaviours
- pair, nocturnal
- Ocean zones
- Asian Pacific, Indian Ocean & Red Sea
Description
Chaetodon lunula reaches 20 cm. Bright yellow body with broad black eye band, characteristic white crescent above (hence lunula), caudal peduncle with dark saddle spot. Flanks with fine orange diagonal lines. Lives from 0 to 30 m on shallow coral and rocky reefs. Crepuscular and nocturnal, more active at sunrise and sunset (hence raccoon). Often in faithful pairs. Tolerates less pure waters than cousins, hence presence Hawaii, Japan and entire Indo-Pacific.
Photo of Raccoon butterflyfish
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Raccoon butterflyfish?
- Raccoon butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula) reaches 15–20 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Raccoon butterflyfish?
- Raccoon butterflyfish is found between 0–30 m deep.
- Is the Raccoon butterflyfish dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Raccoon butterflyfish?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Raccoon butterflyfish?
- Found in: Asian Pacific, Indian Ocean & Red Sea.
Other species in the genus Chaetodon
- Chaetodon sedentarius - Reef butterflyfish
- Chaetodon ocellatus - Spotfin butterflyfish
- Chaetodon fasciatus - Diagonal butterflyfish
- Chaetodon semilarvatus - Bluecheek butterflyfish
- Chaetodon humeralis - Threebanded butterflyfish
- Chaetodon auriga - Threadfin 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 218733)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 2385531)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia