Chaetodon zanzibarensis

(Playfair, 1867)

Vernacular names
English : Zanzibar butterflyfish
French : Poisson papillon de Zanzibar

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

Identification
Adults can grow to a maximum length of 12 cm. Body entirely bright yellow with thin wavy nearly parallel horizontal lines on flanks. Single round black spot on upper flanks. Thin clear-edged vertical black band on face with fading extremities.

Range and habitat
The species occurs in the Indian Ocean, from Yemen to South Africa, east to Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles, Chagos archipelago and Mauritius. Lives in coral-rich areas of lagoons and outer reef slopes, down to 40 meters deep.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Not Listed
Status : The species has a large range. It is dependent on corals for its survival and habitat loss could become a major threat.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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