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Chaetodon striatus

(Banded Butterflyfish, Banded Mariposa, Butterbum, Butterbun, Butterflyfish, Portugese Butterfly, Portuguese Butterfly, School Mistress)

Overview

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Inhabits coral reefs. Occurs singly or in pairs. Generally common (Ref. 9710).

Common Names

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Click on the language to view common names.

Common Names in Danish:

Båndet Fanefisk, Bndet Fanefisk

Common Names in English:

Banded Butterflyfish, Banded Mariposa, Butterbum, Butterbun, Butterflyfish, Portugese Butterfly, Portuguese Butterfly, School Mistress

Common Names in French:

Demoiselle

Common Names in German:

Gestreifter Falterfisch

Common Names in Mandarin Chinese:

條帶蝴蝶魚, 条带蝴蝶鱼, 條帶蝴蝶魚

Common Names in Papiamento:

Chamba Heel, Macamba Heel, Macamba Kulu Berdè, Macamba Kulu Berd

Common Names in Portuguese:

Beijo-De-Moça, Beijo-De-Moa, Boca-De-Moça, Boca-De-Moa, Borboleta, Borboleta-Listrado, Carapiaçaba, Carapiaaba, Castanhola, Freire, Mariposa, Paru, Paru-Mulato, Parum, Peixe-Borboleta, Quebra-Prato

Common Names in Spanish:

Isabelita Rayada, Mariposa, Mariposa Rayada, Maripose, Maripsoa Rayada, Parche, Parche Rayado

Common Names in Tagalog:

Paru-Paro

Description

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Family Chaetodontidae

Atlantic (tropical to temperate ), Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Primarily Indo-west Pacific . Highly compressed body. Dorsal fin continuous, with 6-16 spines and 15-30 soft rays . Spines in anal fin 3-5, usually 3, and 14-23 soft rays. Caudal fin with 15 branched rays , rounded to emarginate . Scales extend onto anal and dorsal fins. Mouth small, terminal and protrusible with a band or rows of small brushlike teeth. Gut coiled several times. Two anteriorly directed processes in swim bladder. Vertebrae 24 (11+13). Most with bright coloration , a dark band across the eye and an 'eyespot' dorsally . Generally near coral reefs. Typically diurnal . Many feed on a combination of coelenterate polyps or tentacles , small invertebrates , fish eggs , and filamentous algae while others are specialists or planktivores . Most species occur as heterosexual pairs. Pelagic spawners. Tholichthys larval stage with the head region covered with bony plates . Some of the planktivores and generalists do well in the aquarium , but most species are difficult to maintain, and obligate corallivores nearly impossible. Chaet- (gr.) = bristle , odont- (gr.) = toothThe family Chaetodontidae belongs to the Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes ) and the Order Perciformes. It contains 10 genera and 114 species. It may be found in Marine and Brackish environments and is primarily Marine. Many members of this family are used in the aquarium trade. Reproductively, most members of this family are nonguarders. The main mode of swimming of adult fish in this family is balistiform. Compared with other fish, the activity level of this family tends to be normal. Members of this family have been dated back to the lower Eocene epoch of the Tertiary period. Etymology of this family name : Greek, chaite = hair + Greek, odous, odontos = tooth , teeth. 1750

Physical Description

Species Chaetodon striatus

Distinctive Features: It is a deep bodied, thin, discus-shaped fish, designed for maneuverability about its habitat and not for long distance swimming. The dorsal fin has prominent spines in the front. Its forehead is quite concave and its snout is short.

Dentition: The small, protractile mouth has comb-like teeth arranged in narrow rows in the jaws . "Chaetodontidae" is actually derived from ancient Greek ("Chaeto" = bristle and "donte" = teeth).

Color:

The appearance of the juveniles is quite different than that of the adults . They have a large, ringed black spot at the base of the dorsal fin. They do have four vertical body bars , but the overall body color is brownish-yellow instead of white. The banded juveniles are commonly found in grass beds , so perhaps the darker body color serves as camouflage . The ringed spot acts as a false eye, confusing a predator as to which end is the front of the fish. The first body bar runs down the eye, making it difficult to see and adding to the predator's confusion. Most predators aim for the eye of their prey , and this false eye spot tricks the predator into thinking the juvenile will flee tail first. The juveniles may retain this spot up to a size of two inches, after which it begins to fade away. The ventral fins are characteristically black at all ages. The juveniles of the four-eye butterfly, Chaetodon capistratus , closely resemble the banded juveniles, but the four-eye only has two bars and two black spots on the body (while the banded has for bars plus the ringed spot).

Size/Age/Growth

The adult banded butterflyfish grows to a maximum length of about 6 inches (15cm). Maturity is reached at lengths around 5 inches (12 cm).

Habitat

The banded butterfly most commonly singly or in pairs, inhabiting shallow waters around coral reefs. Swimming motion is produced through the undulation of the pectoral fins. It is a diurnal species, active during the day and sleeping at night. At the end of the day it seeks shelter since it is highly vulnerable to such night predators as moray eels , sharks , and other large reef fishes. May be found at depths of 3 to 55 meters. Usually found at depths of 5 to 20 meters.

Typically found in water with a depth of 0 to -5,009 meters (0 to -16,434 feet).Mean = -1,319.660 meters (-4,329.593 feet), Standard Deviation = 1,344.620 based on 180 observations. Ocean depth information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre.

Biome: Saltwater . Reef-associated .

Biology

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Diet

The banded butterflyfish is also a predator , feeding on tube worms, sea anemones, corals , and occasionally snacking on crustaceans. The bristle nature of its teeth allows the butterfly to scrape at the invertebrates that make up its diet . This butterflyfish has also been observed forming schools of 20 individuals during plankton feeding. They may also clean parasites from other fishes including grunts , parrotfish, and surgeonfish.

Reproduction

Banded butterfly adults are most often seen in pairs. These pairs consist of a male and female, and pairing occurs early in life. The pairs are long lasting, suggesting that a monogamous relationship may exist between the male and female. Courtship between the two is drawn out and energetic. Often the fish will circle each other, head to tail, until one fish breaks and runs. They will chase each other all about the reef, and will chase away any lone fish that may approach. Actual spawning takes place at dusk, with the female releasing anywhere from 3000 to 4000 eggs . The eggs are small, pelagic , and hatch within a day. The larvae, called tholichthys, are characteristic only to the butterflyfish family . This life stage is very distinctive: the head is encased in bony armor and bony plates extend backwards from the head. The tholichthys are gray in color and almost transparent, useful adaptations for any species living in the water column . Once they reach the size of a nickel, they settle on the bottom during the night, often in large numbers. Transformation is so rapid that by the morning the tholichthys are the color of the juveniles .

Behavior

Predators:

At the end of the day it seeks shelter since it is highly vulnerable to such night predators as moray eels , sharks , and other large reef fishes . If the banded butterfly is threatened during the day, its first instinct is to flee the area. If escape is not possible, the fish may assume a defensive posture. The banded butterfly will turn and face its aggressor , with its head lowered and dorsal spines fully erect , similar to a bull about to charge. This may intimidate the aggressor or may remind it that the banded butterfly is much too spiny to make an easy meal .

Taxonomy

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Unambiguous Synonyms

  1. Anisochaetodon trivirgatus Weber & de Beaufort, 1936
  2. Chaetodon consuelae Mowbray, 1928
  3. Chaetodon striatus Linnaeus, 1758
  4. Chaetodon striatus subsp. albipinnis Ahl, 1923
  5. Chaetodon striatus subsp. dorsimacula Ahl, 1923

Notes

Name Status: Accepted Name .

Family : Butterflyfishes .

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Chaetodon

There are approximately 182 species in this genus. Here are just 100 of them:

C. 4-radiatus · C. adiergaster · C. adiergastos (Bantayan Butterflyfish) · C. adierogastos · C. andamanensis (Yellow Butterflyfish) · C. argentatus (Asian Butterflyfish) · C. arthriticus · C. assarius (Assarius Butterflyfish) · C. atrinellus · C. aureofasciatus (Golden Butterflyfish) · C. auripes · C. auriga (Cross-Stripe Butterfly) · C. auriga setifier · C. auringa · C. auripes (Golden Butterflyfish) · C. austriacus (Blacktail Butterflyfish) · C. baronessa (Eastern Triangle Butterflyfish) · C. bellicosus · C. bennetti (Archer Butterflyfish) · C. bimaculatis · C. blackburnii (Blackburn's Butterflyfish) · C. burgessi (Black-Barred Butterflyfish) · C. capistratus (Butterbun) · C. capostratus · Etroplus suratensis · C. caudifasciatus · C. madagaskariensis · C. chrysurus madagaskariensis · C. chrysurus paucifasciatus · C. citharoedus · C. citrinellus (Citron Butterfly) · C. citrinellus semipunctatus · C. collare (Brown Butterflyfish) · C. collare duplicicollis · C. collare knerii · C. auripes · C. auripes · C. daedalma (Wrought Iron Butterflyfish) · C. declivis (Marquesan Butterflyfish) · C. declivis wilderi · C. decussatus (Black-Finned Vagabond) · C. desmodes · C. dialeucos (Oman Butterflyfish) · C. dolosus (African Butterflyfish) · C. auripes · C. ephippium (Blackblotch Butterflyfish) · C. ephippoium · C. epphipium · C. excelsa (Hawaiian Gold-Barred Butterflyfish) · Drepane punctata · C. falcula (Blackwedged Butterflyfish) · C. faloula · C. fasciatus (Diagonal Butterflyfish) · C. festivus · C. flavirostris (Black Butterflyfish) · C. flavissimus · C. flavocoronatus (Yellow-Crowned Butterflyfish) · C. frembli · C. fremblii (Blue-Lined Butterfly) · C. gardineri (Gardiner's Butterflyfish) · C. guentheri · C. guentheri (Crochet Butterflyfish) · C. dolosus · C. guttatisimus · C. guttatissimus (Gorgeous Gussy) · C. hemichrysus (Half-Yellow Butterflyfish) · C. hoefleri (Four-Banded Butterfly Fish) · C. humeralis (Muneca) · C. interrruptus · C. interruptus (Yellow Teardrop Butterflyfish) · C. jayahari · C. jayakari (Indian Golden-Barred Butterflyfish) · C. kleinii (Blacklip Butterflyfish) · C. lanula · C. larvatus (Blue Chevron Butterflyfish) · C. leucopleura (Somali Butterflyfish) · C. lineolatus (Line Butterflyfish) · C. litus (Easter Island Butterflyfish) · C. luctuosus · C. lumila · C. auriga · C. lunula (Halfmoon Butterflyfish) · C. lunulatus (Oval Butterflyfish) · C. lunura · Abudefduf luridus · C. madagascarensis · C. madagaskariensis (Indian Ocean Chevron Butterflyfish) · C. marleyi (Doubledash Butterflyfish) · C. mayeri · C. melannotus (Black-Back Butterflyfish) · C. melapterus (Arabian Butterflyfish) · C. mertensii (Atoll Butterflyfish) · C. mesoleucos (White Fronted Butter Flyfish) · C. meyeri (Maypole Butterflyfish) · C. meyersi · C. miliaris (Crochet Butterflyfish) · C. miliarus · C. mitratus (Indian Butterflyfish) · C. modestus (Brown-Banded Butterflyfish) · C. mulleri

Bibliography

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More Info

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal December 09, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

Last Revised: 2008-08-12