Butterflyfish Codexery

Chaetodon nippon

A common northwest Pacific butterflyfish with studied larval development.

Last updated

This species reaches a maximum length of 15 cm and has a laterally compressed, deep body shape.[1]

Scientific classification

  1. KingdomAnimalia
  2. PhylumChordata
  3. ClassActinopterygii
  4. DivisionTeleostei
  5. OrderAcanthuriformes
  6. FamilyChaetodontidae
  7. GenusChaetodon
  8. GenusChaetodon
  9. SpeciesChaetodon nippon

Named by Steindachner & Döderlein, 1883

Close relatives

Other species of Chaetodon with a Codexery entry.

Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Chaetodon nippon (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 273351 (CC BY 4.0)

Conservation status

Least Concern (LC)

  1. LC▲ this species
  2. NT
  3. VU
  4. EN
  5. CR
  6. EW
  7. EX
Population trend
Not held in our sources — see the assessment
Assessment published
2010

Source: IUCN Red List assessment · GBIF copy of the Red List category

How big is it?

Size comparison: Chaetodon nippon and a personA 0.15 m long chaetodon nippon drawn to scale next to a 1.8 m tall person. Schematic shapes, not a likeness.0.15 m1.8 m

Largest length in the source, 0.15 m, next to a 1.8 m person.

Diagram: drawn by Codexery, schematic shapes to scale (not a likeness). Length: Wikipedia: Chaetodon nippon

Where the chaetodon nippon has been recorded

Where the chaetodon nippon has been recorded17 mapped locations from 57 GBIF occurrence records

Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (57 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 4 inland records left out (institution coordinates). 1 isolated far-off record not drawn.

Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain)

Biology and range

The Reef Builders account notes they are usually seen swimming at shallow depths of around 15–30 ft.[2] This species inhabits rocky coastal reefs and is found at depths from 5 to 20 meters, with likely occurrence in deeper zones as well.[3] Both large and small aggregations are common for this fish's movement patterns.[4] Young specimens possess a dark spot on their soft dorsal fin that disappears as they mature.[1]

Unlike many butterflyfish that spawn in groups, this species has been documented spawning as mated pairs.[5]

What the specialist sources record

The Reef Builders account states that the specific epithet “nippon” literally means Japan.[2] It notes that C. nippon is capable of hybridising with sympatric species within its range, such as a hybrid with C. daedalma.[2] The same source describes the fish as falling into the category of “common but unavailable” in the aquarium trade.[2] The World Register of Marine Species records the species as Chaetodon nippon Steindachner & Döderlein, 1883, in the family Chaetodontidae.[6]

GBIF holds 315 occurrence records for this taxon as of 7 October 2026.[7]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Chaetodon nippon" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Sugoi Sakana Supottoraito: Chaetodon nippon", Reef builders, 2014-12-02; (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  2. "Sugoi Sakana Supottoraito: Chaetodon nippon", Reef builders, 2014-12-02. facts only, no text reused. reefbuilders.com
  3. Wikipedia, "Chaetodon nippon" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Pyle, R., "Chaetodon nippon", 2010; Pyle, R., "Chaetodon nippon", 2010 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Chaetodon nippon" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Pyle, R., "Chaetodon nippon", 2010 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Chaetodon nippon" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review", CRC Press, 2014, p. 14 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  6. World Register of Marine Species, Chaetodon nippon (AphiaID 273351). CC BY 4.0. marinespecies.org
  7. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy and occurrence index, Chaetodon nippon (taxon key 2385521). CC BY 4.0 (backbone); counts are facts. gbif.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Chaetodon nippon (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

Related entries

Same family (Chaetodontidae)

Bank butterflyfish Prognathodes ayaChelmon marginalis Chelmon marginalisChelmon muelleri Chelmon muelleriCopperband butterflyfish Chelmon rostratusForcipiger longirostris Forcipiger longirostrisHemitaurichthys multispinosus Hemitaurichthys multispinosus

Named in this entry

ChaetodonLarva

More in Butterflyfish

Oman butterflyfishOrnate butterflyfishPearlscale butterflyfishPebbled butterflyfishChaetodon pelewensisPeppered butterflyfishPhilippine butterflyfishRaccoon butterflyfishChaetodon rainfordiRedtail butterflyfishSaddle butterflyfishChaetodon sanctaehelenae

Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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