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West Australian butterflyfish (Chaetodon assarius) — Chaetodontidae

West Australian butterflyfish

Chaetodon assarius

The West Australian butterflyfish (Chaetodon assarius) is a saltwater fish of the family Chaetodontidae that grows up to 13 cm.

Length
13 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–40.0 m
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless

Description

The West Australian butterflyfish is a butterflyfish (Chaetodontidae) from temperate reef waters of Western Australia. The species grows to about 13 cm and has a deep, silvery to yellowish body with fine dotted lines, a dark band through the eye and a spot on the tail base. As a reef-dweller it lives on rocky and coral reefs and picks small invertebrates, algae and zooplankton. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the West Australian butterflyfish?

The West Australian butterflyfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the West Australian butterflyfish live?

The West Australian butterflyfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the West Australian butterflyfish get?

The West Australian butterflyfish grows to a maximum of about 13 cm.

Is the West Australian butterflyfish dangerous to humans?

No, the West Australian butterflyfish is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Westelijke koraalvlinder sourced
English name
West Australian butterflyfish sourced
Scientific name
Chaetodon assarius
Family
Chaetodontidae
Other names
West Australian butterflyfish; Western Australian butterflyfish; Western butterflyfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
13.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
40.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

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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