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Chaetodon xanthurus Bleeker, 1857 Pearlscale butterflyfish |
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photo by
Muséum-Aquarium de Nancy/B. Alenda |
| Family: | Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes) | |||
| Max. size: | 14 cm SL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | reef-associated; marine; depth range 6 - 50 m | |||
| Distribution: | Western Pacific: Indonesia and the Philippines, north to the Ryukyu Islands (Ref. 9710). | |||
| Diagnosis: | Dorsal spines (total): 12-14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 20-23; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 15-17. Description: Posterior part of body and tail orange-yellow (Ref. 48636). Body pearly white; scales have black edges, giving the sides a reticulated pattern (Ref. 4855). Vertical bar broad orange across posteriormost of body; eye bar black; forehead spot black with pale edge. Snout length 2.8-3.6 in HL. Body depth 1.6-1.8 in SL (Ref. 90102). | |||
| Biology: | Clear coastal to outer reef slopes and drop-offs (Ref. 48636). Found around staghorn corals. The only member of the family with a crosshatch pattern of dark lines on the sides. Generally seen below 15 m depth and occurs singly or in pairs. Feed on small benthic invertebrates and algae, similar to C. mertensii (Ref. 37816). Oviparous (Ref. 205). Form pairs during breeding (Ref. 205). | |||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 08 October 2009 Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||
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