Chaetodon semilarvatus

(Cuvier, 1831)

Vernacular names
English : Bluecheek butterflyfish
French : Poisson papillon demi-masqué

Classification
Class : Teleostei
Order : Acanthuriformes (sometimes still Perciformes)
Family : Chaetodontidae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification
Adults can reach 23 cm in length. Unmistakable. Deep body and short snout. Coloration almost entirely bright golden yellow with fading orange to dark vertical lines. Thin black lines near fins’ edges. Blue blotch around eyes and cheeks.

Range and habitat
The species occurs in the western Indian Ocean, in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and nearby coasts of southern Arabian peninsula (Yemen and Oman). Lives in shallow water areas with rich coral growth, down to 20 meters deep.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Not Listed
Status : The species has a fairly small range and is highly dependent on corals, making it possibly threatened by habitat loss.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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