WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Humphead Bannerfish

Heniochus varius

Also known as: Bannerfish, Brown-and-White Heniochus, Brown Butterflyfish, Bullfish, Coralfish, Heniochus Brown Butterflyfish, Horned Bannerfish, Horned Bullfish, Humphead Butterflyfish, Hunch-backed Bullfish, Hunch-backed Coralfish, Pennantfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2010
Adult
@greatwhite · Mandang Resort Hotel, Papua New Guinea · May 20121 / 6
01

Overview

Found singly, pairs, or in small schools, over deep lagoons and steep outer reefs rich in algae and coral growth.

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

COLOURS

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03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Eastern Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean
  • Exact location · 4
  • Country only · 2
LIVES IN

Found singly, pairs, or in small schools, over deep lagoons and steep outer reefs rich in algae and coral growth.

04

Adult photos 6

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. genusHeniochus
    7. speciesHeniochus varius (Cuvier, 1829)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae)