Chaetodon leucopleura

(Playfair, 1867)

Vernacular names
English : Somali butterflyfish
French : Poisson papillon de Somalie

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

Identification
Adults can grow to 18 cm. Dusky grey-black flanks with white area near belly and alongside gill coverts. White face and snout with broad vertical black bar. Flank scales’ edges dark, forming wavy lines. Dorsal, anal and tail fins yellow.

Range and habitat
The species occurs in the western Indian Ocean, from the southern Red Sea to Tanzanian coasts, east to Seychelles and Aldabra Islands. Lives in coral and rocky reefs, rubble areas in deeper waters, from 7 to 80 meters.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Not Listed
Status : The species has a fairly large range and is at least locally abundant. It suffers from no threats at this time.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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