Teardrop butterflyfish
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| Chaetodon unimaculatus Bloch, 1787 |
The teardrop butterflyfish, Chaetodon unimaculatus, is a butterflyfish of the family Chaetodontidae found in the Indo-Pacific oceans from East Africa (south to Port Alfred, South Africa), to the Hawaiian, Marquesan and Ducie islands, north to southern Japan, south to Lord Howe and Rapa islands, and throughout Micronesia, at depths down to 60 m. Its length is up to 20 cm.
The teardrop butterflyfish is easily identified by the colour pattern of yellow, white and black. The caudal fin is transparent. Juveniles are virtually identical to adults in coloration.
They occur in small groups in reef flats, clear lagoon and seaward reefs, and feed on soft and hard corals, and also on polychaetes, small crustaceans, and filamentous algae. In Indonesia, they are usually seen at moderate depths, usually swimming in small groups. Adults are mainly at depths of 20 to 60 m.
Reproduction is oviparous, with pairs forming during breeding. They are monogamous.
[edit] References
- "Chaetodon unimaculatus". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. June 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
