Schooling bannerfish (Heniochus diphreutes)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Heniochus diphreutes
- Common name
- Schooling bannerfish
- Category
- Fish
- Family
- Chaetodontidae
- Genus
- Heniochus
- Size
- 15–21 cm
- Depth
- 5–210 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- coral-reef, rocky-reef, open-water
- Behaviours
- schooling
- Ocean zones
- Asian Pacific, Indian Ocean & Red Sea
Description
Heniochus diphreutes reaches 21 cm. White body with two wide vertical black bands, long dorsal pennant, black eye band. Very similar to H. acuminatus but more gregarious forming dense schools in open water above reefs, notably at cleaning stations. Lives from 5 to 210 m on reefs and rocky walls in tropical Indo-Pacific. Feeds on zooplankton. Signature schools of Red Sea and Indo-Pacific dives, sometimes in hundreds on pinnacles.
Photo of Schooling bannerfish
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Schooling bannerfish?
- Schooling bannerfish (Heniochus diphreutes) reaches 15–21 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Schooling bannerfish?
- Schooling bannerfish is found between 5–210 m deep.
- Is the Schooling bannerfish dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Schooling bannerfish?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Schooling bannerfish?
- Found in: Asian Pacific, Indian Ocean & Red Sea.
Other species in the genus Heniochus
- Heniochus varius - Humphead bannerfish
- Heniochus singularius - Singular Bannerfish
- Heniochus intermedius - Red Sea bannerfish
- Heniochus acuminatus - Pennant coralfish
- Heniochus chrysostomus - Golden-striped Coachwhip
- Heniochus pleurotaenia - Black-striped Coachwhip
Other species in the family Chaetodontidae
- Chaetodon sedentarius - Reef butterflyfish
- Chaetodon ocellatus - Spotfin butterflyfish
- Chaetodon fasciatus - Diagonal butterflyfish
- Chaetodon semilarvatus - Bluecheek butterflyfish
- Forcipiger flavissimus - Longnose butterflyfish
- Johnrandallia nigrirostris - Barberfish
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 218763)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 2385729)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia