Home · Chaetodontidae · Singular bannerfish
Singular bannerfish (Heniochus singularius) — Chaetodontidae

Singular bannerfish

Heniochus singularius
LC · Least Concern

The Singular bannerfish (Heniochus singularius) is a saltwater fish of the family Chaetodontidae that grows up to 30 cm.

Length
30 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
2.0–250.0 m
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Indo-West Pacific
Edibility
Not eaten

Want the complete picture on the Singular bannerfish?

Get the app

Description

The singular bannerfish is a large butterflyfish from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 30 cm and has a deep, white to yellowish-white body with broad black oblique bands, yellow fins and an elongated, white pennant-like dorsal-fin ray; adults have a bump above the eyes and a bony projection on the head. As a reef-dweller it searches over coral and rocky reefs, to about 250 metres depth, for small invertebrates and algae. The fish appears in the reef aquarium. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Singular bannerfish?

The Singular bannerfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly white and shows a vertical stripes pattern. Elongated white pennant-shaped dorsal fin ray and a head bump; reef butterflyfish

Where does the Singular bannerfish live?

The Singular bannerfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Indo-West Pacific

How big does the Singular bannerfish get?

The Singular bannerfish grows to a maximum of about 30 cm.

Is the Singular bannerfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Singular bannerfish 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 Singular bannerfish edible?

The Singular bannerfish is not usually eaten.

More photos

Singular bannerfish (Heniochus singularius) — Chaetodontidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Mark Rosenstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Singular bannerfish (Heniochus singularius) — Chaetodontidae — 3
cello caruso-turiello (CC BY 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Singular bannerfish (Heniochus singularius) — Chaetodontidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Jens Sommer-Knudsen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Singular bannerfish (Heniochus singularius) — Chaetodontidae — 5
erinwoodward (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Fin

Want the complete picture on the Singular bannerfish?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Singular bannerfish is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →

All data

Identification

English name
Singular bannerfish verified
Scientific name
Heniochus singularius
Family
Chaetodontidae
Other names
Singular bannerfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
30.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
White sourced
Pattern
Vertical bars sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
2.0 verified
Max depth (m)
250.0 verified
Natural range
Indo-West Pacific verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small invertebrates and algae inferred
Social behaviour
Small groups sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Reef-dwelling bannerfish; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Elongated white pennant-shaped dorsal fin ray and a head bump; reef butterflyfish sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Fishing with natural bait (fish, shrimp, worm) or lures close to reef and rock structures. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
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 Heniochus

More from the family Chaetodontidae

Fin

Want the complete picture on the Singular bannerfish?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Singular bannerfish is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →
Is this the Singular bannerfish? Get the app