General appearance
Conspicuous tropical reef fishes that can resemble smaller angelfish in shape and coloration.
Butterfly Fish
Butterflyfish are conspicuous tropical reef fishes of the family Chaetodontidae found mainly in Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans.
ButterflyfishBannerfish
Species Guide
What to know about butterfly fish
A clean field guide focused on habitat, identification, behavior, and conservation context without burying the useful parts.
Butterflyfish are a group of tropical marine fishes in the family Chaetodontidae, comprising about 129 species in 12 genera. They are mostly found on reefs in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. The group includes fishes commonly called bannerfish and coralfish. Butterflyfish superficially resemble smaller angelfish but lack preopercle spines on the gill covers. Some members of the genus Heniochus resemble the Moorish idol (Zanclus cornutus). Butterflyfish, angelfish, and the Moorish idol belong to related families within the order Acanthuriformes and occupy similar habitats.
The strongest linked planning options currently surface around destinations such as Mahé, Bonaire, Cairns & Great Barrier Reef and countries such as Seychelles, Thailand, Australia for divers building trips around butterfly fish.
Identification
How to identify butterfly fish
The visual markers divers can use underwater, plus the species most likely to cause confusion.
Key identification markers
Gill cover
Unlike angelfish, butterflyfish lack preopercle spines on the gill covers.
