Atoll butterflyfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Atoll butterflyfish |
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| Genus: |
Chaetodon
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| Species: |
mertensii
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The Atoll Butterflyfish (Chaetodon mertensii) is a beautiful marine fish also known as the yellowback butterflyfish or Merten's butterflyfish. It's a type of butterflyfish found in the western Pacific Ocean. These colorful fish are known for living near coral reefs.
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What Does the Atoll Butterflyfish Look Like?
The Atoll Butterflyfish can grow up to about 12.5 centimeters (5 inches) long. Its body is mostly white with several dark grey bands that look like "V" shapes on its sides.
The back part of its body, including its back fin (dorsal fin) and bottom fin (anal fin), is bright orange or yellow. Its tail fin is also orange or yellow at the back. A black stripe goes straight up through its eye and over its head without any breaks. This helps tell it apart from similar fish.
Where Do Atoll Butterflyfish Live?
Atoll Butterflyfish live in deep lagoons and on the outer parts of reefs. They can be found at depths from 10 to 120 meters (about 33 to 394 feet) underwater. They like to swim around coral and rocks.
What Do Atoll Butterflyfish Eat?
These fish are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and small animals. They feed on algae, which are like tiny water plants, and small creatures that live on the seafloor. These small creatures are called benthic invertebrates.
Where Can You Find Atoll Butterflyfish?
The Atoll Butterflyfish lives in the Pacific Ocean. You can find them from the Ryukyu Islands near Japan, all the way down to the Philippines. Their range also extends to places like Lord Howe Island in Australia, Rapa Iti, and the Tuamotus islands.
In 2015, these fish were even spotted for the first time near the Kermadec Islands north of New Zealand. Researchers found them by looking through old documentary film footage!
Who Discovered the Atoll Butterflyfish?
The Atoll Butterflyfish was first officially described in 1831. A French scientist named George’s Cuvier (1769-1832) gave it its scientific name. The fish was named after Karl Heinrich Mertens (1796-1830). He was a German naturalist and explorer who showed Cuvier a drawing of this fish.
Family and Relatives
The Atoll Butterflyfish is part of a group called the "crowned" butterflyfishes. These fish often look very similar. They usually have dark, V-shaped patterns on a silvery body, a black and white spot on their head, and yellow or red back parts.
Some of its close relatives include the Eritrean butterflyfish (C. paucifasciatus) and the Seychelles butterflyfish (C. madagaskariensis). The pearlscale butterflyfish (C. xanthurus) is also related but a bit more distant.
