Animal Species:Ovalspot Butterflyfish, Chaetodon speculum Cuvier, 1831

Alternative Name/s

Oval-spot Butterflyfish, Oval-spot Coralfish

Identification

The Ovalspot Butterflyfish is yellow with a large black mark on the upper side of the body. It has a black bar through the eye and a translucent caudal fin margin.

Size range

The species grows to 18 cm in length.

Distribution

The species occurs from the eastern Indian Ocean and Western Pacific. It is found widely throughout tropical marine waters of Australia with the exception of parts of the Arafura Sea and Gulf of Carpentaria.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Ovalspot Butterflyfish specimens in the Australian Museum.

What does this mean?

Habitat

The species is found on coral reefs.

Feeding and Diet

It eats coral polyps and small benthic invertebrates.

Classification

Species:

speculum

Genus:

Chaetodon

Family:

Chaetodontidae

Order:

Perciformes

Class:

Actinopterygii

Subphylum:

Vertebrata

Phylum:

Chordata

Kingdom:

Animalia

What does this mean?

References

1. Allen, G.R., Steene, R. & M. Allen. 1998. A Guide to Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes. Odyssey Publishing/Tropical Reef Research. Pp. 250.
2. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
3. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.

Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated: 2 November 2012

Tags fishes, ichthyology, Ovalspot Butterflyfish, Chaetodon speculum, Chaetodontidae, yellow, black, 'normal fish', 10 cm - 30 cm, dots/spots, stripes or bands, eye like spot, marine, adult,