Bluecheek butterflyfish

Lore & Background

The bluecheek butterflyfish has a bright yellow body marked with thin vertical red lines, and a greyish patch behind the eyes, unlike most related species which have an eye bar. Its dorsal, anal, pelvic, and caudal fins are yellow. It is a relatively large butterflyfish, reaching up to 23 cm in total length, though 15 cm is more typical. It belongs to the subgenus Rabdophorus, which might warrant recognition as a distinct genus, and appears closest to a group containing the blackback butterflyfish, spot-naped butterflyfish, black-wedged butterflyfish, and Pacific double-saddle butterflyfish, sharing the same tell-tale blue vertical lines despite lacking their white body and eyestripe. The species was first formally described in 1831 by French anatomist Georges Cuvier, with the type locality given as the Red Sea at Massawa, Eritrea and Al-Luhayya, Yemen.

Reader's Guide

The bluecheek butterflyfish is found in the north-western Indian Ocean, specifically in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, as far east as the coast of Oman. It inhabits areas with rich coral growth at depths between 1 and 20 meters. This species is one of the few fish known to have long-term mates, and it is frequently recorded in pairs or small shoals. It feeds on hard corals and benthic invertebrates. It is oviparous, forming pairs when spawning, which normally occurs during the day, though the fish emerge and are active at night. They have been observed occasionally hovering in a stationary position for long periods beneath ledges of plate corals of the genus Acropora. Its significance lies in its distinctive coloration and mating behavior, as well as its role in coral reef ecosystems as a coral feeder.

Did You Know?

• It can attain a maximum total length of 23 cm (9.1 in).
• It is found in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, as far east as the coast of Oman.