Home · Chaetodontidae · Blacklip butterflyfish
Blacklip butterflyfish (Chaetodon kleinii) — Chaetodontidae

Blacklip butterflyfish

Chaetodon kleinii
LC · Least Concern

The Blacklip butterflyfish (Chaetodon kleinii) is a saltwater fish of the family Chaetodontidae that grows up to 15 cm.

Length
15 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–90.0 m
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Rarely eaten

Description

The sunburst butterflyfish is a butterflyfish of the family Chaetodontidae from the Indo-Pacific. The species grows to about 15 cm and has a deep, disc-shaped, yellow-brown body with a dark band over the eye and a beak-like snout. It lives in deeper lagoons, channels and on seaward reefs, usually below 10 metres, solitarily or in pairs. As an omnivore it feeds on zooplankton, algae and the polyps of soft corals. Butterflyfishes are diurnal, colourful reef dwellers. The sunburst butterflyfish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Blacklip butterflyfish?

The Blacklip butterflyfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Blacklip butterflyfish live?

The Blacklip butterflyfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Blacklip butterflyfish get?

The Blacklip butterflyfish grows to a maximum of about 15 cm.

Is the Blacklip butterflyfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Blacklip butterflyfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Blacklip butterflyfish edible?

The Blacklip butterflyfish is rarely eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Zonsondergang-koraalvlinder sourced
English name
Blacklip butterflyfish verified
Scientific name
Chaetodon kleinii
Family
Chaetodontidae
Other names
Blacklip butterflyfish; Bluehead butterflyfish; Brown butterflyfish; Butterflyfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
15.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Beak-shaped inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
90.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Chaetodon

More from the family Chaetodontidae

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