Dotted butterflyfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dotted butterflyfish |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chaetodon
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| Species: |
semeion
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| Synonyms | |
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The dotted butterflyfish (Chaetodon semeion) is a beautiful marine fish. It's a type of butterflyfish that belongs to the family called Chaetodontidae. You can find these fish swimming in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean.
What Does It Look Like?
The dotted butterflyfish is easy to spot because of its bright golden yellow color. It has a cool blue forehead. A dark, tear-shaped stripe goes vertically through its eye.
Along its sides, you'll see rows of small black spots. Its fins, like the dorsal fin (on its back) and anal fin (on its belly), are yellow. The bases of these fins are black. A long, thin part, like a filament, sticks out from its dorsal fin.
Female dotted butterflyfish sometimes have a thicker belly area. These fish can grow up to about 26 centimetres (10 in) long.
Where Do They Live?
Dotted butterflyfish live in a wide area across the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. You can find them from the Maldives all the way to the Tuamotu Islands. They also live north near the Ryukyu Islands and south near the famous Great Barrier Reef.
Their Home and Habits
These fish usually live in clear, shallow waters, from about 2 metres (6.6 ft) to 30 metres (98 ft) deep. They love places with lots of coral, like calm lagoons and reefs facing the open ocean.
Dotted butterflyfish are not very common. They often swim in pairs or small groups. They can be a bit shy compared to other types of butterflyfish.
They lay eggs to reproduce, which means they are an oviparous species. Their favorite foods include tunicates and other small creatures that live on the ocean floor.
About Their Name
The dotted butterflyfish was first officially described in 1855 by a Dutch scientist named Pieter Bleeker. He found them near the Cocos (Keeling) Islands.
The name semeion means "banner" in Greek. This name probably refers to the long, banner-like filament that grows from its dorsal fin.
