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Wrought iron butterflyfish (Chaetodon daedalma) — Chaetodontidae

Wrought iron butterflyfish

Chaetodon daedalma

The Wrought iron butterflyfish (Chaetodon daedalma) is a saltwater fish of the family Chaetodontidae that grows up to 15 cm.

Length
15 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–30.0 m
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The wrought iron butterflyfish is a butterflyfish (Chaetodontidae) from temperate reef waters of the northwest Pacific, around southern Japan. The species grows to about 15 cm and has a deep, dark-grey body in which each scale carries a pale edge, giving a fine, wrought-iron-like lattice pattern, with a yellow tail margin. As a reef-dweller it lives in schools on rocky reefs and picks zooplankton and small invertebrates. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Wrought iron butterflyfish?

The Wrought iron butterflyfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body and is mainly black.

Where does the Wrought iron butterflyfish live?

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

How big does the Wrought iron butterflyfish get?

The Wrought iron butterflyfish grows to a maximum of about 15 cm.

Is the Wrought iron butterflyfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Wrought iron butterflyfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Wrought iron butterflyfish edible?

Yes, the Wrought iron butterflyfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Smeedijzer-koraalvlinder sourced
English name
Wrought iron butterflyfish sourced
Scientific name
Chaetodon daedalma
Family
Chaetodontidae

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
15.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Black 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)
30.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

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

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
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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