Lined Butterflyfish, Chaetodon lineolatus Cuvier 1831


Other Names: Line Butterflyfish, Lined Butterfly-fish, New-moon Coralfish, New-moon Coral-fish

A Lined Butterflyfish, Chaetodon lineolatus, at Admiralty Anchor, Osprey Reef in the Coral Sea, Queensland, November 2006. Source: Erik Schlogl / iNaturalist.org. License: CC BY Attribution-NonCommercial

Summary:
A white butterflyfish with a broad black bar on the head and a white spot above the eye, a black elliptical mark along the rear of the back that runs across the caudal peduncle to the rear anal-fin base, a series of narrow vertical black lines on the sides, and bright yellow dorsal, caudal and anal fins. 
This is the largest butterflyfish species.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2018, Chaetodon lineolatus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 28 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/2384

Lined Butterflyfish, Chaetodon lineolatus Cuvier 1831

More Info


Distribution

Recorded in Australia from about Point Quobba to Beagle Reef, and offshore reefs, Western Australia, Ashmore Reef, Timor Sea, and the northern Great Barrier Reef and reefs in the Coral Sea, to about Moreton Bay, Queensland; also at Lord Howe Island and Middleton and Elizabeth Reefs in the Tasman Sea, and Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas island in the eastern Indian Ocean. Elsewhere, the Lined Butterflyfish is widespread in the Indo-west-central Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa to southern Japan and Hawaii.

Usually seen in pairs in coral-rich areas of lagoons and seaward reefs.

Feeding

Feeds mostly on coral polyps and anemones, also taking small invertebrates and some algae. Although associated with coral reef habitats Lined Butterflyfish do not rely on live coral for food. 

Species Citation

Chaetodon lineolatus Cuvier 1831, Histoire Naturelle des Poissons 7: 40. Type locality: Mauritius (as Ile de France).

Author

Bray, D.J. 2018

Resources

Australian Faunal Directory

Lined Butterflyfish, Chaetodon lineolatus Cuvier 1831

References


Allen, G.R., Hoese, D.F., Paxton, J.R., Randall, J.E., Russell, B.C., Starck, W.A., Talbot, F.H. & Whitley, G.P. 1976. Annotated checklist of the fishes of Lord Howe Island. Records of the Australian Museum 30(15): 365-454 figs 1-2

Allen, G.R., Steene, R. & Allen, M. 1998. A Guide to Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes. Cairns : Odyssey Publishing/Tropical Reef Research 250 pp. figs.

Allen, G.R., Steene, R.C. & Orchard, M. 2007. Fishes of Christmas Island. Christmas Island : Christmas Island Natural History Association 2 edn, 284 pp.

Allen, G.R. & Smith-Vaniz, W.F. 1994. Fishes of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin 412: 1-21.

Allen, G.R. & Swainston, R. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A field guide for anglers and divers. Perth, WA : Western Australian Museum vi 201 pp., 70 pls.

Burgess, W.E. 1978. Butterflyfishes of the World. New Jersey : T.F.H. Publications Inc. 832 pp. figs.

Cole, A.J., Pratchett, M.S. & Jones, G.P. 2008. Diversity and functional importance of coral-feeding fishes on tropical coral reefs. Fish and Fisheries 9: 286-307.

Cuvier, G.L. in Cuvier, G.L. & Valenciennes, A. 1831. Histoire Naturelle des Poissons. Paris : Levrault Vol. 7 531 pp. pls 170-208.

Fessler, J.L. & Westneat, M.W. 2007. Molecular phylogenetics of the butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae): Taxonomy and biogeography of a global coral reef fish family. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 45(1): 50–68. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2007.05.018

Findley, J.S. & M.T. Findley. 2001. Global, regional, and local patterns in species richness and abundance of butterflyfishes. Ecological Monographs 7(1): 69-91.

Francis, M.P., 1991. Additions to the fish faunas of Lord Howe, Norfolk and Kermadec Islands, Southwest Pacific Ocean. Pacific Science 45(2): 204-220.

Francis, M. 1993. Checklist of the coastal fishes of Lord Howe, Norfolk, and Kermadec Islands, southwest Pacific Ocean. Pacific Science 47(2): 136-170 figs 1-2

Gill, A.C. & Reader, S.E. 1992. Fishes. pp. 90-93, 193-228 in Hutchings, P. (ed.) Reef Biology. A Survey of Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs, South Pacific. Canberra : Australian National Parks Vol. 3, Kowari 230 pp.

Grant, E.M. 1975. Guide to Fishes. Brisbane : Queensland Government, Co-ordinator General’s Department 640 pp. (as Anisochaetodon lineolatus)

Grant, E.M. 2002. Guide to Fishes. Redcliffe : EM Grant Pty Ltd 880 pp.

Hsu, K-C, Chen, J-P & Shao, K-T. 2007. Molecular phylogeny of Chaetodon (Teleostei: Chaetodontidae) in the Indo-West Pacific: evolution in geminate species pairs and species groups. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 14: 77-86.

Johnson, J.W. 1999. Annotated checklist of the fishes of Moreton Bay, Queensland, Australia. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 43(2): 709-762.

Johnson, J.W. 2010. Fishes of the Moreton Bay Marine Park and adjacent continental shelf waters, Queensland, Australia. pp. 299-353 in Davie, P.J.F. & Phillips, J.A. Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Marine Biological Workshop, The Marine Fauna and Flora of Moreton Bay. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 54(3)

Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp.

Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Sydney, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers xvii, 434 pp.

Kuiter, R.H. 2002. Butterflyfishes, Bannerfishes and their Relatives. Chorleywood, U.K. : TMC Publishing 208 pp.

Myers, R. & Pratchett, M. 2010. Chaetodon lineolatus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010: e.T165669A6086327. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T165669A6086327.en. Downloaded on 15 February 2017.

Oxley, W.G., Ayling, A.M., Cheal, A.J. & Osborne, K. 2004. Marine surveys undertaken in the Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs Marine National Nature Reserve, December 2003. Townsville : Australian Institute of Marine Sciences 64 pp.

Pratchett, M.S. 2005. Dietary overlap among coral-feeding butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae) at Lizard Island, northern Great Barrier Reef. Marine Biology 148: 373-382. 

Pratchett, M.S. & Berumen, M.L. 2008. Interspecific variation in ditributions and diets of coral reef butterflyfishes (Teleostei: Chaetodontidae). Journal of Fish Biology 73: 1730-1747.

Pyle, R. 2001. Chaetodontidae, Pomacanthidae. pp. 3224-3286 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds) The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 5 2791-3379 pp.

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs.

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs.

Steene, R.C. 1978. Butterfly and angelfishes of the world. A.H. & A.W. Reed Pty Ltd., Australia. vol. 1. 144 p.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37365041

Conservation:IUCN Least Concern

Depth:2-170 m

Fishing:Aquarium fish

Habitat:Reef associated

Max Size:30 cm TL

Species Image Gallery

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map