WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Chevron Butterflyfish

Chaetodon trifascialis

Also known as: Acropora Butterfly, Acropora Butterflyfish, Chevroned Butterflyfish, Coralfish, Oval Butterflyfish, Redfin Butterflyfish, Right-angle Butterflyfish, Right-angled Butterflyfish, Triangulate Butterflyfish, V-Line Butterflyfish, V-Lined Butterflyfish

NTNear ThreatenedIUCN Red List, 2010
Adult
@fishx6 · Gangehi, Maldives · March 20081 / 23

Showing details for the adult stage. Switch stages to see how it differs.

01

Overview

Found singly or in pairs protecting their territory close to Acropora corals, over shallow semi-protected lagoons and seaward reefs.
They feed on the mucus and polyps of Acropora corals.

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.

02

How to identify

Pattern
stripes

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03

Habitat & where to find it

Where the adult stage lives, and where its photos were taken.

  • Range · Indo-Pacific
  • Exact location · 3
  • Country only · 20
LIVES IN

Found singly or in pairs protecting their territory close to Acropora corals, over shallow semi-protected lagoons and seaward reefs.

04

Adult photos 23

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderAcanthuriformes
    5. familyChaetodontidae
    6. genusChaetodon
    7. speciesChaetodon trifascialis Quoy & Gaimard, 1825

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae)