Indian Butterflyfish, Chaetodon mitratus Günther 1860

An Indian Butterflyfish, Chaetodon mitratus, in the Steinhardt Aquarium. Source: Ross D. Robertson / Shorefishes of the Neotropics. License: CC BY Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike

Summary:

A yellow butterflyfish with a two broad black diagonal bands across the side, and an orange to black bar through the eye.
The Indian Butterflyfish occurs at Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the Eastern Indian Ocean, (AUS EEZ).

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2015, Chaetodon mitratus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 15 Jan 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4834

Indian Butterflyfish, Chaetodon mitratus Günther 1860

More Info

Distribution	Widespread in the Indian Ocean, including the Australian territories of Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island. Inhabits steep outer reef slopes and drop-offs with rich coral growth, usually below 50 m.
Feeding	Feeds on benthic invertebrates and zooplankton.
Etymology	The specific name mitratus is from Latin (wearing a headband) presumably in reference to the bar through the eye.
Species Citation	Chaetodon mitratus Günther, 1860, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. 2: 16. Type locality: Mauritius
Author	Bray, D.J. 2015

Indian Butterflyfish, Chaetodon mitratus Günther 1860

References

Allen, G.R. 1980. Butterfly and Angelfishes of the World. New York : John Wiley & Sons Vol. 2 pp. 149-352 figs 214-510.

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.

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

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.

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

Günther, A. 1860. Catalogue of the Fishes in the British Museum. Catalogue of the acanthopterygian fishes in the collection of the British Museum. Squamipinnes, Cirrhitidae, Triglidae, Trachinidae, Sciaenidae, Polynemidae, Sphyraenidae, Trichiuridae, Scombridae, Carangidae, Xiphiidae. London : British Museum Vol. 2 548 pp.

Hobbs, J-P.A., Newman, S.J., Mitsopoulos, G.E.A., Travers, M.J., Skepper, C.L., Gilligan, J.J., Allen, G.R., Choat, H.J. & Ayling, A.M. 2014. Checklist and new records of Christmas Island fishes: the influence of isolation, biogeography and habitat availability on species abundance and community composition. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 30: 184–202.

Hobbs, J-P.A., Newman, S .J., Mitsopoulos, G.E.A., Travers, M.J., Skepper, C.L., Gilligan, J.J., Allen, G.R., Choat, H.J. & Ayling, A.M. 2014. Fishes of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands: new records, community composition and biogeographic significance. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 30: 203–219.

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

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.

Pyle, R., Myers, R., Rocha, L.A. & Craig, M.T. 2010. Chaetodon mitratus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.2. . Downloaded on 16 August 2015.