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Hooded butterflyfish (Chaetodon larvatus) — Chaetodontidae

Hooded butterflyfish

Chaetodon larvatus

The Hooded butterflyfish (Chaetodon larvatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Chaetodontidae that grows up to 12 cm.

Length
12 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
3.0–12.0 m
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: Djibouti, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and others
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The Hooded butterflyfish is a butterflyfish (Chaetodontidae) from the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The species grows to about 12 cm and has a deep, laterally compressed, disc-shaped body with a small, pointed mouth. It has an orange head and a blue-grey body with fine, V-shaped chevron lines. As a reef-dweller it searches coral and rocky reefs for coral polyps, small invertebrates and algae; many species live in pairs. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Hooded butterflyfish?

The Hooded butterflyfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body and is mainly red-orange.

Where does the Hooded butterflyfish live?

The Hooded butterflyfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Asia: Djibouti, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and others

How big does the Hooded butterflyfish get?

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

Is the Hooded butterflyfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Hooded butterflyfish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Hooded butterflyfish edible?

Yes, the Hooded butterflyfish is commonly eaten.

More photos

Hooded butterflyfish (Chaetodon larvatus) — Chaetodontidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) attilasimay, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Hooded butterflyfish (Chaetodon larvatus) — Chaetodontidae — 3
Randall, John E. (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Hooded butterflyfish (Chaetodon larvatus) — Chaetodontidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Hooded butterflyfish (Chaetodon larvatus) — Chaetodontidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Sylvain Le Bris, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))

Easily confused with

These species look like the Hooded butterflyfish and live in the same waters.

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All data

Identification

English name
Hooded butterflyfish sourced
Scientific name
Chaetodon larvatus
Family
Chaetodontidae
Other names
Hooded butterflyfish; Masked butter flyfish; Masked butterflyfish; Orange-face buttterflyfish; Red Sea butterflyfish; Blue chevron butterflyfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
12.0 verified
Average length (cm)
12.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
3.0 verified
Max depth (m)
12.0 verified
Natural range
Asia: Djibouti, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Social behaviour
Small groups sourced
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Small in size and barely an angling target; mostly caught incidentally or as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. 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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