Eightband Butterflyfish

Chaetodon octofasciatus is a species of butterflyfish (family Chaetodontidae).

Description

This small butterflyfish grows to a maximum of 12 cm long (nearly 5 in). Its body is white, shading into yellowish on the belly. It has 7 black vertical stripes over head and sides and one centrally on the snout. The third line extends onto the ventral fins. There is a strong black margin on the aft dorsal and anal fins.

It is a close relative of the Golden Butterflyfish (C. aureofasciatus) and less close to Rainford's Butterflyfish (C. rainfordi). Probably including the Three-striped Butterflyfish (C. tricinctus) also, these diverse but always high-bodied species make up the subgenus Discochaetodon, of which C. octofasciatus is the type species. They appear to be close relatives of the subgenus Tetrachaetodon which includes for example the Mirror Butterflyfish (C. speculum) and together with these would probably go in Megaprotodon if Chaetodon is split up.

Distribution

It is found in the Indo-West Pacific region from Indonesia and the Philippines via Papua New Guinea and the Great Barrier Reef to the Solomon Islands, Palau, and north to China; it extends into the Indian Ocean at least to the Maldives, India and Sri Lanka.

Habitat

The Eight-banded Butterflyfish is found at depths between 3 and 20 m in coral reefs. Adults swim in pairs in coral-rich areas of sheltered inshore and lagoon reefs; juveniles can often be seen in groups among Acropora corals. This species feeds exclusively on coral polyps.