Seychelles butterflyfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Seychelles butterflyfish |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chaetodon
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| Species: |
madagaskariensis
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| Synonyms | |
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Chaetodon madagascariensis (lapsus) |
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The Seychelles butterflyfish (Chaetodon madagaskariensis) is a type of butterflyfish. These are colorful ray-finned fish that live in the ocean. You can find them in the Indian Ocean. They live from eastern Africa all the way to the Cocos-Keeling Islands and Christmas Island. They are also found north near Sri Lanka.
This fish likes places with lots of coral on reefs that face the open sea. They usually live at depths of 10 to 40 meters (about 33 to 130 feet).
Contents
What Does the Seychelles Butterflyfish Look Like?
The Seychelles butterflyfish can grow up to 13 centimeters (more than 5 inches) long. Its body is silver near its head. It becomes white closer to its tail.
Body Colors and Patterns
It has a special orange patch shaped like a triangle near its tail. There are also dark grey V-shaped lines on its sides. These lines sometimes look like broken spots.
Between its eyes and the start of its top fin, there is a black spot. This spot has a white edge. The base of its tail fin is white. After that, there is an orange patch, and then a white edge on the very end of the tail.
Where Does the Seychelles Butterflyfish Live?
This fish lives in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. It is found in many different areas.
Ocean Habitats
You can find it along the coast of eastern Africa. It lives as far south as Port Elizabeth in South Africa. It also lives east towards the Cocos-Keeling Islands and Christmas Island. To the north, it can be found near Sri Lanka.
Coral Reef Homes
The Seychelles butterflyfish prefers to live in areas with healthy coral reefs. These reefs provide food and shelter. They are often found on the outer parts of the reefs.
Who Discovered the Seychelles Butterflyfish?
The Seychelles butterflyfish was first officially described in 1923. A German zoologist named Ernst Ahl (1898-1945) gave it its scientific name.
Naming the Fish
He described it from a fish found in Mauritius. The scientific name madagaskariensis refers to Madagascar. Sometimes, people spell its name madagascarensis, but the original spelling by Ahl is the correct one.
Images for kids
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A Seychelles butterflyfish swimming near coral.
