Relevant synonyms None. Misidentification None. Meristic formula D, XII+20-21; A, III+19-20; P, 13-15; V, I+5; LL, 39-42  photo : David Darom

SHORT DESCRIPTION Body oval-shaped, deep and very compressed. Small head with slightly convex upper profile. Small mouth with brush-like teeth in both jaws. A single dorsal fin with clear incisions between its spines. Posterior part of dorsal fin round. Anal fin round with deep incisions between its spines. Caudal fin round. color : body yellow with dark thin lines. Two diagonal wide black bars on the head, the anterior running through the eye. Most of the dorsal fin white, its dorsal posterior part as well as caudal and anal fins are black. Posterior margin of caudal fin white/ Pectoral and pelvic fins are yellow. size : common 10-15 cm (max. 22 cm). DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS The color pattern of this species differs significantly from all other Mediterranean species. BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY Live mainly in pairs. Feeds primarily on coral polyps in its native region. Evidently it shifted to other food types in the Mediterranean, possibly hydroids. Eggs and larvae pelagic. The late post-larvae, often called tholichthys, bear large bony plates on the head and anterior part of the body. habitat : among coral reefs and rocky habitats at depth down to 50 m.

1st MEDITERRANEAN RECORD Israel, 2011. DISTRIBUTION Worldwide : Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and possibly also in the Gulf of Oman. Mediterranean : Israel. ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS Rare. speculated reasons for success : MODE OF INTRODUCTION Via the Suez Canal. IMPORTANCE TO HUMANS None in the Mediterranean; a popular species in the aquarium trade.

KEY REFERENCES Allen G., Steene R. and Allen M., 1998. A Guide to Angelfishes and Butterflyfishes. Odyssey, Weast Parth, Australia. 250 pp. Goren M., Gvili R. and Galil B.S., 2011. The reef-associating butterfly fish Chaetodon austriacus Rüppell, 1836 in the Mediterranean: The implication of behavioral plasticity for bioinvasion hazard assessment. Aquatic Invasions 6(1): S143-S145.   FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

Last update of the species sheet: November 2013 ©ciesm 2002