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Brownbanded butterflyfish (Chaetodon modestus) — Chaetodontidae

Brownbanded butterflyfish

Chaetodon modestus

The Brownbanded butterflyfish (Chaetodon modestus) is a fish of the family Chaetodontidae that grows up to 17 cm.

Length
17 cm
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The brownbanded butterflyfish is a butterflyfish (Chaetodontidae) from the western Pacific. The species has a deep, silvery-white body with a few broad orange-brown crossbars and a conspicuous eyespot at the rear of the dorsal fin. It occurs on deeper rocky and coral bottoms, deeper than many related butterflyfishes. It feeds on small zooplankton and small bottom invertebrates. It lives solitary or in pairs. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Brownbanded butterflyfish?

The Brownbanded butterflyfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly white and shows a vertical stripes pattern.

Where does the Brownbanded butterflyfish live?

The Brownbanded butterflyfish is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Brownbanded butterflyfish get?

The Brownbanded butterflyfish grows to a maximum of about 17 cm. On average the species is around 12 cm.

Is the Brownbanded butterflyfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Brownbanded butterflyfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Brownbanded butterflyfish edible?

The Brownbanded butterflyfish is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Bescheiden koraalvlinder sourced
English name
Brownbanded butterflyfish sourced
Scientific name
Chaetodon modestus
Family
Chaetodontidae

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
17.0 verified
Average length (cm)
12.0 sourced
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
White inferred
Pattern
Vertical bars 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

Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
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 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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