Chaetodon melapterus
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| Chaetodon melapterus | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Acanthuriformes |
| Family: | Chaetodontidae |
| Genus: | Chaetodon |
| Subgenus: | Chaetodon (Corallochaetodon) |
| Species: | C. melapterus |
| Binomial name | |
| Chaetodon melapterus Guichenot, 1863 | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Chaetodon melapterus, the Arabian butterflyfish, blackfin butterflyfish or black-finned melon butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish in the butterflyfish family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the northwestern Indian Ocean.
Save for the posterior edge, which is black, the body of Chaetodon melapterus is totally bright yellow. The dorsal, anal and caudal fins are also deep black. There are three vertical, black bands on the face, one on the snout around the mouth, one through the eye and one just behind the eye.[3] The dorsal fin contains 13 spines and 19–21 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 18–19 soft rays. This species attains a maximum total length of 13 cm (5.1 in).[2]
Distribution
Chaetodon melapterus is found in the northwestern Indian Ocean, including the Persian Gulf, the southern coasts of the Arabian Peninsula (from the Gulf of Oman to the Gulf of Aden) and the southern part of the Red Sea.[1]
Habitat and biology
Chaetodon melapterus is found in shallow coastal reefs (at between 2 and 16 metres (7 and 52 ft)[1]), and prefers areas with rich coral growth. This species lives in pairs, but there have been occasional records of aggregations. It is an obligate corallivore, feeding exclusively on polyps. It is an oviparous species which forms pairs to breed.[2]