Brown-and-White Butterflyfish (Hemitaurichthys zoster)

Also known as Banded Butterfly, Banded Butterflyfish, Belted Butterflyfish, Black Pyramid Butterflyfish, Black Zoster Butterflyfish, Brushtooth Butterflyfish, Brushy-toothed Butterflyfish, Coralfish, Girdled Butterflyfish, Pyramid Butterflyfish, Zoster Butterflyfish

Description

Also known as Banded Butterfly, Banded Butterflyfish, Belted Butterflyfish, Black Pyramid Butterflyfish, Black Zoster Butterflyfish, Brushtooth Butterflyfish, Brushy-toothed Butterflyfish, Coralfish, Girdled Butterflyfish, Pyramid Butterflyfish, Zoster Butterflyfish.

Found in pairs and large schools, along reef edges, and in open waters, feeding above the reef.
They feed on algae and zooplankton.
Length - 16cm
Depth - 1-40m
Widespread Indian Ocean

Butterflyfishes have very fine hair like teeth that enable them to pick out small organisms inaccessible to most other fish for eating.
They thrive mainly on a diet of coral polyps, tentacles of featherdusters and Christmas-tree worms. As these food sources all zap back into their shells, butterflyfishes need to be able to hover motionless while picking at the coral and to dart swiftly over short distances to get the worm before it retracts. They do this by using their Pectoral fins as oars to brake, sprint, turn and even reverse. Ref: https://www.fishbase.se/summary/7795

0 comments

Leave a comment

Known Sightings / Photograph Locations

Share this: