Sunset butterflyfish (Chaetodon pelewensis)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Acanthuriformes · Family: Chaetodontidae · Genus: Chaetodon.

Accepted name: Chaetodon pelewensis · Authority: Kner, 1868 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 273353.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Chaetodon germanus De Vis, 1884; Chaetodon pelewensis germanus De Vis, 1884.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=273353 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

Measured values published by FishBase for Chaetodon pelewensis. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Maximum length: 12.5 cm · Depth range: 1–30 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: commercial.

FishBase notes: Feed mainly on coral polyps and small benthic invertebrates (Ref. 2334, 48636). Oviparous (Ref. 205), monogamous (Ref. 52884). Adults usually paired during breeding (Ref. 9710), but juveniles solitary (Ref. 48636). Can adapt easily to tank life and willingly accept nearly all kinds of food offered.

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 6606) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Chaetodon-pelewensis.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

6,797 georeferenced occurrence records for Chaetodon pelewensis are published through GBIF from 24 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 175 distinct locations from a sample of 3,000 records, omitting 10 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.

Most records by country or area: Australia (2,183); American Samoa (2,053); French Polynesia (917); Tonga (766); New Caledonia (392).

The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 8036617) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=8036617&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=273353 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Chaetodon pelewensis Kner, 1868 as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.

Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 165653) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/165653/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 8036617) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/8036617/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Chaetodon pelwensis has a dusky yellow body with diagonal stripes across the body and black-margined gold vertical bar through the eye. There is a black spot on the head. The stripes break up into spots towards the head and on the lower flanks. The margins of the fins are bright yellow and the base of the caudal fin is bright orange. The dorsal fin has 13-14 spines and 22-25 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 17-18 soft rays. It attains a maximum total length of 12.5 cm.

Chaetodon pelewensis is found across the southern Pacific Ocean from Papua New Guinea to the Tuamotu Archipelago. This species is abundant on the Great Barrier Reef and in the Coral Sea. In Australia it extends as far south as central New South Wales and Lord Howe Island.

Chaetodon pelewensis is found in coral reefs at depths of at least 45 m. They feed largely on coral polyps and some benthic invertebrates. This species is oviparous and monogamous, breeding in pairs. Occasionally it will form mixed pairs with the spotband butterflyfish (C. punctatofasciatus), and these species are known to hybridise.

Chaetodon pelewensis was first formally described in 1868 by the Austrian ichthyologist Rudolf Kner (1810–1869) with the type locality given as Palau in the Western Pacific, Pelew Inseln in German, in error when the correct type locality is probably the Society Islands. The specific name reflects the erroneous designation of the type locality. This species is placed in the subgenus Exornator, if the genus Chaetodon is split up, Exornator might become a subgenus of Lepidochaetodon.

Chaetodon pelewensis is commonly found in the aquarium trade and in the period 1988 to 2002 over 12,000 individuals of this species were traded.

Source: Wikipedia: Chaetodon pelewensis — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaetodon_pelewensis (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.