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Archer butterflyfish (Chaetodon bennetti) — Chaetodontidae

Archer butterflyfish

Chaetodon bennetti
DD · Data Deficient

The Archer butterflyfish (Chaetodon bennetti) is a saltwater fish of the family Chaetodontidae that grows up to 20 cm.

Length
20 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–50.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Indo-Pacific; coral-rich lagoon and seaward reefs.
Edibility
Not eaten

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Description

Bennett's butterflyfish is a butterflyfish (Chaetodontidae) from the Indo-Pacific. The species has a bright-yellow body with a large, blue-rimmed black eyespot high on the flank and two oblique blue stripes on the rear head. It lives on lagoon and seaward reefs in areas with rich coral growth. It feeds almost exclusively on coral polyps. It lives solitary or in pairs. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Archer butterflyfish?

The Archer butterflyfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a spots pattern. Large blue-rimmed eyespot high on the flank; coral polyp eater of coral-rich reefs.

Where does the Archer butterflyfish live?

The Archer butterflyfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Indo-Pacific; coral-rich lagoon and seaward reefs.

How big does the Archer butterflyfish get?

The Archer butterflyfish grows to a maximum of about 20 cm.

Is the Archer butterflyfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Archer butterflyfish is harmless to humans. None required: this species is harmless to humans.

Is the Archer butterflyfish edible?

The Archer butterflyfish is not usually eaten.

More photos

Archer butterflyfish (Chaetodon bennetti) — Chaetodontidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Susan Prior, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Archer butterflyfish (Chaetodon bennetti) — Chaetodontidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) erinwoodward, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Archer butterflyfish (Chaetodon bennetti) — Chaetodontidae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — Vardhan Patankar (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Archer butterflyfish (Chaetodon bennetti) — Chaetodontidae — 5
Wikimedia Commons — Paul Asman and Jill Lenoble (CC BY 2.0)
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All data

Identification

English name
Archer butterflyfish verified
Scientific name
Chaetodon bennetti
Family
Chaetodontidae
Other names
Bennett's butterfly; Bennett's butterflyfish; Bluelashed butterflyfish; Eclipse butterflyfish; Bennett's coralfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
20.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold inferred
Pattern
Spots inferred
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
50.0 verified
Natural range
Indo-Pacific; coral-rich lagoon and seaward reefs. inferred
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Almost exclusively coral polyps sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred
Special features
Large blue-rimmed eyespot high on the flank; coral polyp eater of coral-rich reefs. sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Fishing with natural bait (fish, shrimp, worm) or lures close to reef and rock structures. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
None required: this species is harmless to humans. sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Chaetodon

More from the family Chaetodontidae

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