Doublesash butterflyfish (Chaetodon marleyi)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from FishBase, occurrence map from GBIF, conservation from IUCN Red List, description from Wikipedia.
The doublesash butterflyfish, (Chaetodon marleyi), also known as the fourbanded butterflyfish or Marley's butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the southwestern Indian Ocean and the extreme southwestern Atlantic Ocean off southern Africa.
- Scientific name
- Chaetodon marleyi
- Authority
- Regan, 1921
- Family
- Chaetodontidae
- Order
- Acanthuriformes
- Maximum length
- 20 cm
- Habitat zone
- reef-associated
- Iucn red list
- Least Concern
- Gbif occurrence records
- 267
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Acanthuriformes · Family: Chaetodontidae · Genus: Chaetodon.
Accepted name: Chaetodon marleyi · Authority: Regan, 1921 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 218755.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Chaetodon notophthalmus Ahl, 1923.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=218755 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Biology and life history (FishBase)
Measured values published by FishBase for Chaetodon marleyi. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 20 cm · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: commercial.
FishBase notes: Inhabit rocky and coral reefs (Ref. 9710). Found among weeds in estuaries (Ref. 9710). Oviparous (Ref. 205). Form pairs during breeding (Ref. 205).
Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 8013) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Chaetodon-marleyi.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
267 georeferenced occurrence records for Chaetodon marleyi are published through GBIF from 4 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 35 distinct locations from a sample of 267 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: South Africa (261); Mozambique (3); Madagascar (2); Angola (1).
Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: Mozambican Exclusive Economic Zone; South Africa (country).
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2385501) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2385501&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=218755 (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 marleyi Regan, 1921 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 4362) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/4362/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2385501) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2385501/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
The doublesash butterflyfish has a silvery-white body marked with three broad yellowish-brown vertical bands, another one runs through the eyes, and there is a similar coloured caudal peduncle. The caudal fin has a yellow band while the dorsal and anal fins are yellow. The dorsal fin contains 11 spines and 23-24 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 18-19 soft rays. This species attains a maximum total length of 20 cm.
The doublesash butterflyfish is found off Southern Africa from Delagoa Bay in Mozambique to Lambert's Bay on the Atlantic coast of Western Cape Province in South Africa.
The doublesash butterflyfish can be found on both rock and coral reefs, as well as in estuaries. They may be found at depths of up to 120 m. This is an oviparous species which forms pairs for spawning. This species is omnivorous and feeds on macroalgae, as well as benthic invertebrates such as polychaetes, crustaceans, hydroids and ascidians.
The doublesash butterflyfish was first formally described in 1921 by the English ichthyologist Charles Tate Regan (1878-1943) with the type locality given as East London. Regan honoured the collector of the type, the Natal fisheries officer Harold Walter Bell-Marley (1872-1945), in the specific name. Its closest relative is the West African Chaetodon hoefleri. Some authorities place this species within the nominate subgenus Chaetodon but others consider it to be incertae sedis.
Source: Wikipedia: Doublesash butterflyfish — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doublesash_butterflyfish (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced