Inhabit deep offshore reefs, over rocks and coral rubble . Usually paired, occasionally seen with C. mitratus . Omnivorous. Oviparous . Form pairs during breeding .
Dorsal spines (total): 12 - 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 21 - 22; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 18 - 19. Rear part of body, dorsal and anal fins blackish; caudal fin yellow; dorsal and anal fin edges white; dark eyeband connected at nape . Juveniles pale olive green with vertical rows of small brownish spots; middle of soft dorsal rays with black blotch .: short and / or deep.
Behavioural data for African butterflyfish is currently being reviewed.
Form pairs during breeding .
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 40 - 200 m . Tropical south to Natal, South Africa and east to Madagascar, Seychelles, Mauritius and Reunion.
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chaetodon mendoncae | Smith | 1953 | Synonym |
| Heterochaetodon heterochaetodon dolosus | Ahl | 1923 | Synonym |
The following diseases are known to affect African butterflyfish.
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 1 records indexed .
No observations yet - be the first to log one!
View all observations for African butterflyfish ↗Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.
Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.