Redtail butterflyfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Redtail butterflyfish |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chaetodon
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| Species: |
collare
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| Redtail butterflyfish range. | |
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The red-tailed butterflyfish (Chaetodon collare) is a beautiful ocean fish. It is also called the brown butterflyfish, Pakistani butterflyfish, or redtail butterflyfish. This fish is a type of butterflyfish, which belongs to a group of fish known for their bright colors and patterns.
You can find these fish living in coral reefs. They live in the Indo-West Pacific region. This area stretches from the Persian Gulf and Maldives all the way to Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia. They usually swim at depths of about 3 to 15 meters (10 to 50 feet).
What Does the Red-Tailed Butterflyfish Look Like?
The red-tailed butterflyfish can grow up to 18 centimeters (over 7 inches) long. Its body is mostly brown to black. It has lighter scales that make it look spotted.
This fish has some special markings on its head. There is a clear white stripe that goes up and down behind its eyes. It also has a dark stripe right over its eyes. A smaller white stripe is found in front of its eyes. The base of its tail is a bright red color. After the red part, there is a black stripe. The very tip of its tail is a soft white color.
What Do Red-Tailed Butterflyfish Eat?
In their natural home, red-tailed butterflyfish mostly eat coral polyps. These are the tiny, soft parts of coral. This means they help keep the coral reefs healthy.
If they are kept in aquariums, they eat different foods. They are carnivores, meaning they eat meat. In captivity, they can eat fish meat and shrimp.
How Are Red-Tailed Butterflyfish Related to Other Fish?
The red-tailed butterflyfish belongs to a large group of fish called Rabdophorus. Scientists are still studying if this group should be its own separate genus (a larger group of species).
It seems to be related to a group of "raccoon-masked" butterflyfish. These include the black butterflyfish (C. flavirostris), diagonal butterflyfish (C. fasciatus), Philippine butterflyfish (C. adiergastos), and the raccoon butterflyfish (C. lunula). Even though the red-tailed butterflyfish has very different colors and patterns, it shares a similar strong body shape and bold behavior with these fish.
Interestingly, the mailed butterflyfish (C. reticulatus) looks almost exactly like the red-tailed butterflyfish. The main differences are that it's less brown and has light blue instead of red on its tail. These two fish often live in the same areas of the western Pacific Ocean.
However, scientists have studied their DNA and bones. These studies show that the mailed butterflyfish actually belongs to a different group. This means that even though they look very similar, they are not closely related. This is an example of convergent evolution. This is when different species develop similar features because they live in similar environments or face similar challenges. Scientists are still trying to figure out why these two unrelated fish look so much alike.
