Diagonal butterflyfish
Encyclopedia
The Diagonal Butterflyfish (Chaetodon fasciatus), also known as the Red Sea Raccoon Butterflyfish, is a species
of butterflyfish
(family
Chaetodontidae). It is found in the Red Sea
only.
They have a yellow body with 11 diagonal stripes and reach a maximum length of 22 cm (c.9 in). In their native habitat
, they swim over and around coral
s, on which they also feed.
It belongs to the large subgenus
Rabdophorus which might warrant recognition as a distinct genus
. In this group, its closest relative is probably the very similar common Raccoon Butterflyfish
(C. lunula). Other close relatives appear to be the Black Butterflyfish
(C. flavirostris), Philippine Butterflyfish
(C. adiergastos), and perhaps also the unusual Red-tailed Butterflyfish (C. collare). Although the coloration of this group varies quite a lot, they are all largish butterflyfishes with an oval outline, and most have a pattern of ascending oblique stripes on the flanks. Except in the Red-tailed Butterflyfish, there is at least a vestigial form of the "raccoon
" mask, with a white space between the dark crown and eye areas.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of butterflyfish
Butterflyfish
The butterflyfish are a group of conspicuous tropical marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae; the bannerfish and coralfish are also included in this group. Found mostly on the reefs of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, there are approximately 120 species in 10 genera...
(family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Chaetodontidae). It is found in the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
only.
They have a yellow body with 11 diagonal stripes and reach a maximum length of 22 cm (c.9 in). In their native habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
, they swim over and around coral
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
s, on which they also feed.
It belongs to the large subgenus
Subgenus
In biology, a subgenus is a taxonomic rank directly below genus.In zoology, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the generic name and the specific epithet: e.g. the Tiger Cowry of the Indo-Pacific, Cypraea tigris Linnaeus, which...
Rabdophorus which might warrant recognition as a distinct genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
. In this group, its closest relative is probably the very similar common Raccoon Butterflyfish
Raccoon butterflyfish
The raccoon butterflyfish, Chaetodon lunula, also known as the crescent-masked butterflyfish or lunule butterflyfish, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the Indo-Pacific region and in the southeast Atlantic...
(C. lunula). Other close relatives appear to be the Black Butterflyfish
Black butterflyfish
The Black Butterflyfish is a species of butterflyfish .-References:*...
(C. flavirostris), Philippine Butterflyfish
Philippine butterflyfish
The Philippine Butterflyfish, Chaetodon adiergastos, is a species of butterflyfish . It is found in the western Pacific, from the Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan to Java and northwestern Australia....
(C. adiergastos), and perhaps also the unusual Red-tailed Butterflyfish (C. collare). Although the coloration of this group varies quite a lot, they are all largish butterflyfishes with an oval outline, and most have a pattern of ascending oblique stripes on the flanks. Except in the Red-tailed Butterflyfish, there is at least a vestigial form of the "raccoon
Raccoon
Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
" mask, with a white space between the dark crown and eye areas.