Rainford's Butterflyfish, Chaetodon rainfordi (McCulloch, 1923)
Scientific name: Chaetodon rainfordi
Click to enlarge image
A Rainford's Butterflyfish, Chaetodon rainfordi, at a depth of 15m Wheeler Reef, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, November 2001.
Image: Erik Schlögl
© Erik Schlögl
© Erik Schlögl
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Chaetodon
- Species
- rainfordi
- Family
- Chaetodontidae
- Order
- Perciformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- The species grows to 15 cm in length.
Introduction
Rainford's Butterflyfish can be recognised by its colouration. The species occurs from southern Papua New Guinea to southern Queensland.
Identification
Rainford's Butterflyfish can be recognised by its colouration. The fish is yellow with a dark-margined orange bar though the eye and a narrower orange bar through the pectoral base. There are two blue-grey bands with yellow-orange margins on the body.
A Rainford's Butterflyfish at a depth of 10m Ribbon Reef #10, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, December 2001.
Image: Erik Schlögl
© Erik Schlögl
© Erik Schlögl
Distribution
Rainford's Butterflyfish is known from marine waters of southern Papua New Guinea to southern Queensland.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia
Feeding and diet
It eats algae and benthic invertebrates.
References
- Allen, G.R., Steene, R. & M. Allen. 1998. A Guide to Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes. Odyssey Publishing/Tropical Reef Research. Pp. 250.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.
