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Gardiner's butterflyfish (Chaetodon gardineri) — Chaetodontidae

Gardiner's butterflyfish

Chaetodon gardineri

The Gardiner's butterflyfish (Chaetodon gardineri) is a saltwater fish of the family Chaetodontidae that grows up to 17 cm.

Length
17 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
2.0–91.0 m
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

Gardiner's butterflyfish is a butterflyfish (Chaetodontidae) from the northwest Indian Ocean, including the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea. The species grows to about 17 cm and has a deep, grey-white body with fine diagonal lines, a yellow back and tail and a dark band through the eye. As a reef-dweller it lives on coral and rocky reefs and picks coral polyps, small invertebrates and algae. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Gardiner's butterflyfish?

The Gardiner's butterflyfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body and is mainly yellow-gold.

Where does the Gardiner's butterflyfish live?

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

How big does the Gardiner's butterflyfish get?

The Gardiner's butterflyfish grows to a maximum of about 17 cm.

Is the Gardiner's butterflyfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Gardiner's butterflyfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Gardiner's butterflyfish edible?

Yes, the Gardiner's butterflyfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Gardiners koraalvlinder sourced
English name
Gardiner's butterflyfish sourced
Scientific name
Chaetodon gardineri
Family
Chaetodontidae
Other names
Gardiner's butterflyfish; Gardner's butterflyfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
17.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
2.0 verified
Max depth (m)
91.0 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
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. 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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