Order : Perciformes
Family : CHAETODONTIDAE
Species : Chaetodon auriga
Maximum Length : 23 cm

There are a total of 12 genera and 129 species of brightly coloured Butterflyfish in the family Chaetodontidae, according to Fishbase. The Threadfin Butterflyfish belongs to the genus  Chaetodon which has the greatest number of species.

Butterflyfishes all possess markedly compressed bodies and sharp snouts.

The Threadfin Butterflyfish is easily identified by its distinctive colouration and patterning. The front part of the body is white and is adorned with a chevron-like arrangement of thin, dark lines. The rear part of the body and the tail is bright yellow. There is a black spot at the rear of the body, above the tail fin.

This species occurs in lagoons, with sandy or coral rubble substrates, and shallow, tropical coral reefs to a depth of around 40 metres.

This species is wide-ranging in Southeast Asia's coastal waters. Globally it ranges from the Red Sea, through the Indian Ocean and Indonesia to much of the Pacific Ocean.


Fig 1 : Specimen from a shallow lagoon of maximum 4 metres depth, with mixed sandy and rubble substrate. 
Seen at Bora Bora lagoon, French Polynesia.


References :

Allen, G. 1988. Marine Fishes of Southeast Asia. Western Australian Museum.