Butterfly fish

Butterflyfish

Butterflyfish are a group of conspicuous tropical marine fish of the Chaetontidae family, which includes bannerfish and coralfish. Butterflyfish look like smaller versions of angelfish but lack preopercle spines at the gill covers. Over thirty species are found in the Maldives.

Threadfin butterflyfish, Chaetodon auriga

butterflyfish

Black pyramid butterflyfish, Hemitaurichthys zoster

butterflyfish

Yellow teardrop butterflyfish, Chaetodon interruptus

butterflyfish

Yellow-head butterflyfish, Chaetodon xanthocephalus

butterflyfish

Long-nose butterflyfish, Chaetodon flavissimus

butterflyfish

Spotted butterflyfish, Chaetodon guttatissimus

butterflyfish

Brown butterflyfish, Chaetodon kleinii

butterflyfish

Head-band butterflyfish, Chaetodon collare

butterflyfish

Angelfish

Marine angelfish are perciform fish of the Pomacanthidae family. There are seven genera and about 86 species, 14 of which are found in the Maldives. They are distinguished from butterflyfish by the presence of strong preopercle spines, part of the gill cover.

Emperor angelfish, Pomacanthus imperator (adult and juvenile)

juvenile angelfish

Royal angelfish, Pygoplites diacanthus

angelfish

Blue-faced angelfish, Pomacanthus xanthometopon

angelfish

Three-spot angelfish, Apolemichthys trimaculatus

Bannerfish

Bannerfish are related to butterflyfish. Some species form large schools. Some species have a distinct dorsal fin spine, the "banner".

Phantom bannerfish, Heniochus pleurotaenia

Masked bannerfish, Heniochus monoceros

bannerfish

Schooling bannerfish, Heniochus diphreutes

bannerfish bannerfish bannerfish

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Last modified 4 November 2019