©Andy Lewis: A unusually marked Threadfin Butterfyfish at Watsons Bay
Colours
Distinguishing features
A small to medium sized yellow and white fish with a laterally compressed body. It has a black bar through the eye, a distinct cross hatch pattern on the sides, and a black dot at the rear of the dorsal fin. Distinguish from the similar Vagabond Butterflyfish by the presence of the black dot (not a vertical black stripe) and the trailing filament on the rear of the dorsal fin.
Size
- Up to 20 cm (Standard length)
Depth range
- Depth range data is not yet available.
Synonyms
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Distribution and habitat preferences
Areas of rubble and coral close to well developed reefs.
Found in most reef habitats around the island.
Behaviour
The Threadfin Butterflyfish is generalist feeder, taking coral polyps, invertebrates and some algae. It is usually seen in pairs or small groups near areas of coral, although it will feed over shallow reef flats quite some distance from the coral zone. The small juveniles recruit during the summer months, and may be seen amongst boulders in the high intertidal areas.
Web resources
References
References that assist with identification
- Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene (1990). Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Other references
- Arnal, C. (2000). Ecologie comportementale de la symbiose poisson nettoyeur/ poisson client: motivations et honnêteté, Ph.D. thesis, University of Perpignan, France. LIRS catalog number 637.
- Berumen, M.L. and M.S. Pratchett (2006). Effects of resource availability on the competitive behaviour of butterflyfishes, "Proceedings of the 10th International Coral Reef Symposium". : 644-650. LIRS catalog number 1018.
- View all references