Scribbled angelfish (Chaetodontoplus duboulayi)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Chaetodontoplus duboulayi · Authority: (Günther, 1867) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 280118.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Holacanthus duboulayi Günther, 1867.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=280118 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 28 cm · Depth range: 5–20 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 18 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: commercial.

FishBase notes: Inhabits coastal and inner reef areas with rubble, soft bottoms, or open flat bottom areas with rock, coral, sponge, and seawhip outcrops. May be found in small groups (Ref. 9710).

Feeds on sponges and tunicates. Forms pairs or small groups. Occasionally exported through the aquarium trade (Ref. 48391).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 10823) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Chaetodontoplus-duboulayi.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

2,610 georeferenced occurrence records for Chaetodontoplus duboulayi are published through GBIF from 4 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 200 distinct locations from a sample of 2,610 records, omitting 19 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 (2,607); China (1); Guadeloupe (1); Indonesia (1).

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

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2396584) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2396584&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=280118 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Chaetodontoplus duboulayi (Günther, 1867) 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 165857) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/165857/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2396584) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2396584/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Chaetodontoplus duboulayi has an largely blue body marked with darker wavy lines. The snout is yellow as are the pectoral, pelvic and caudal fins. There is a yellow stripe which extends along the base of the dorsal fin and a wide vertical, yellow bar to the rear of the eye and the operculum is white.

They are sexually dimorphic with the males being marked with sinuous blue lines along their flanks while the females have yellow or blue spots. The dorsal fin contains 11 spines and 22 soft rays while the anal fin contains 3 spines and 21 soft rays. This species attains a maximum total length of 28 cm.

Distribution

Chaetodontoplus duboulayi Is found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean where it occurs along the northern Australian coast from Shark Bay in Western Australia to Moreton Bay in Queensland and as far south as Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea. It can also be found in the Aru Islands of Indonesia and along the southern coast of New Guinea. There have also been reports from Taiwan.

Habitat and biology

Chaetodontoplus duboulayi at depths between 5 and 20 m and is found on coastal and inshore reefs where there are areas of rubble, soft bottoms or open rocky areas which have a substrate made up of outcropping of rock, coral, sponge, and seawhips. They are normally encountered in small groups. They feed on benthic invertebrates especially sponges and tunicates. Like all other angelfish it is a protogynous hermaphrodite, with all individuals being female initially and the dominant ones changing to males.

Reproduction

In 1993, researchers at the Japanese Journal of Ichthyology began a study regarding the spawning behavior of Scribbled angelfish. It was found that once laid, the eggs of Scribbled angelfish range from 0.92 millimeters to 0.9 millimeters. Additionally, it was found that after spawning the number of eggs created can vary from 5,000 to 33,000.

Systematics

Chaetodontoplus duboulayi was first formally described in 1867 as Holocanthus duboulayi by the German-born British ichthyologist and herpetologist Albert Günther (1830–1914) with the type locality given as the northwestern coast of Australia. The specific name honours the collector of the type, M. Duboulay, this is likely to be the collector, natural historian and entomologist Francis Houssemayne du Boulay (1837–1914). although he specialised in Australian insects and beetles.

Chaetodontoplus duboulayi is a highly prized species in the aquarium trade and formerly was only occasionally exported through that trade. More recently its availability has improved, although specimens still command high prices. They have now been successfully bred in captivity.

Source: Wikipedia: Chaetodontoplus duboulayi — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaetodontoplus_duboulayi (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.