Butterfly fish

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

Black pyramid butterflyfish, Hemitaurichthys zoster

Yellow teardrop butterflyfish, Chaetodon interruptus

Yellow-head butterflyfish, Chaetodon xanthocephalus

Long-nose butterflyfish, Chaetodon flavissimus

Spotted butterflyfish, Chaetodon guttatissimus

Brown butterflyfish, Chaetodon kleinii

Head-band butterflyfish, Chaetodon collare

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)