Lined Butterflyfish
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- Name / Latin
- Lined Butterflyfish — Chaetodon lineolatus
- Brief description
- A large butterflyfish with a silvery-white body covered with thin dark vertical lines and a yellow rear part of the body. Inhabits coral reefs, more often found in pairs and feeds mainly on coral polyps.
- Size:
- up to 30 cm
- Depth:
- 1–20 m
- Habitat:
- Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Western Pacific Ocean
- Family:
- Chaetodontidae
- Type:
- Fish
- Activity:
- diurnal
- Conservation status:
- Least Concern (LC) — not threatened with extinction according to IUCN assessment
The lined butterflyfish is a representative and one of the largest species in its genus. Its main body color is milky-white with a silver tint, complemented by alternating vertical black lines on the sides. On the rear upper part of the body, an elongated sickle-shaped black spot stands out, affecting the bases of the unpaired fins, below which extends a blurred yellow area. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins are colored yellow. A wide vertical black stripe passes through the eye, and a light spot is visible on the forehead.
This species inhabits various areas of the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and the eastern coast of Africa to Hawaii and the Marquesas Islands. Its distribution range reaches Japan in the north and the Great Barrier Reef in the south. In Micronesia, the Lined Butterflyfish is found everywhere.
This species inhabits lagoons and outer reef slopes, usually forming pairs in areas densely overgrown with corals. The main diet consists of polyps of both hard and soft corals, as well as anemones. In addition, the diet includes small invertebrates and algae.
