Butterflyfish - TheLiving Encyclopedia

The butterflyfish are a group of conspicuous tropical marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae; the bannerfish and coralfish are also included in this group. The approximately 129 species in 12 genera are found mostly on the reefs of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. A number of species pairs occur in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, members of the huge genus Chaetodon.

Quick Facts

Common Names:

Butterflyfish, Threadfin Butterflyfish, Threadfin butterflyfish, Cross-stripe butterfly, Diagonal butterflyfish, Threadfin butterfly, Threadfin coralfish, Whip butterflyfish, Yellow butterflyfish, Kikakapu, kikakpu, threadfin butterflyfish, Cross-stripe Butterfly, Diagonal Butterflyfish, Threadfin Butterfly, Threadfin Coralfish, Threadfin, Whip Butterflyfish, Thread-fin Butterfly-fish

Class:

Teleostei

Data Completeness:

100%

Data Sources

🌍gbif

📚itis

📖wikipedia

🔬eol

🦎inaturalist

References

All references are verified for authenticity. We prioritize peer-reviewed studies, reputable databases (iNaturalist, GBIF), and established encyclopedias.

Distribution Statistics

10

Observations

10

Countries

Top Locations

"Erscott's Hole, Lord Howe Island, Australia"

1

Bell Place Burraneer NSW, Australia

1

Natadola Beach, Fiji

1

Lord Howe Is

1

Sydney NSW, Australia

1

Recent Observers

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First: 12/28/2008 · Latest: 8/11/2025