Rickard Zerpe, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Butterflyfish
Jul 31, 2007
Design
The butterflyfish is a laterally thin fish. This shape allows it to maneuver through the coral reef with relative ease. It also allows it to chase its prey into the coral. This design, given to the creature’s original created kind by its Creator, shows His care.
Features
- Butterflyfish are named for their brightly-colored and patterned bodies, which can be shades of red, blue, white, black, orange, and yellow.
- Many species exhibit dark eyespots on their sides and dark bands across their eyes.
Fun Facts
- The largest butterflyfish species grows up to 11.8 in (30 cm).
- The color of a butterflyfish looks different at night than it does during the day.
- They are some of the most conspicuous of the coral reef fishes.
- The butterflyfish is typically diurnal.
- Most species occur as male/female pairs that may stay together for several years, or even for life.
CLASS: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
ORDER: Perciformes (perch-like fishes)
FAMILY: Chaetodontidae (butterflyfishes)
GENUS/SPECIES: 127 species in 11 genera
Size: 4.7–8.5 in (12–21.5 cm)
Depth: Mostly less than 60 ft (18 m);
some species up to 590 ft (180 m)
Diet: Coral polyps, crustaceans, and algae
Habitat: Coral reefs of the oceans
