Eritrean butterflyfish (Chaetodon paucifasciatus)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Chaetodon paucifasciatus · Authority: Ahl, 1923 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 218747.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Chaetodon chrysurus paucifasciatus Ahl, 1923; Exornator rhombochaetodon paucifasciatus (Ahl, 1923).

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=218747 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 14 cm · Depth range: 4–65 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 11.7 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: commercial.

FishBase notes: Found over coral and rubble areas, in pairs or in small groups. Found to depths of 65 m (Ref. 81209). Feed on coral polyps, gorgonians, algae, polychaete worms and small crustaceans. Oviparous (Ref. 205), monogamous (Ref. 52884). Form pairs during breeding (Ref. 205). This attractive fish does well in aquarium surroundings and therefore highly prized by hobbyists (Ref. 4858).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 12296) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Chaetodon-paucifasciatus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

746 georeferenced occurrence records for Chaetodon paucifasciatus are published through GBIF from 5 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 34 distinct locations from a sample of 746 records, omitting 6 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: Egypt (615); Israel (55); Saudi Arabia (43); Jordan (32); Sudan (1).

Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: Eritrean Exclusive Economic Zone; Somali Exclusive Economic Zone; Red Sea; Djiboutian Exclusive Economic Zone.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2385551) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2385551&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=218747 (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 paucifasciatus Ahl, 1923 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 165625) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/165625/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2385551) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2385551/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Eritrean butterflyfish are oviparous fish forming monogamous pairings during breeding. They are usually found in pairs or in small groups over coral and rubble areas from 1m to 30m depth. They feed on coral polyps, gorgonians, algae, polychaete worms and small crustaceans. This fish fares well in the aquarium and thus is sought after by hobbyists.

C. paucifasciatus is one of the "crowned" butterflyfishes. These form a group of largely allopatric species sharing the overall color pattern of dark forward-pointing chevrons on silvery hues, (usually) a black-and-white crown spot and yellow to red hindparts to a stunning degree; they differ in the exact combination of hues and some small pattern details. Other members of this lineage are the closely related Seychelles (C. madagaskariensis) and Atoll butterflyfishes (C. mertensii), and the more distant pearlscale butterflyfish (C. xanthurus).

The "crowned" Chaetodon are a clearly recognizable clade, but their further relationships are otherwise less clear. They were often placed in the subgenus Exornator, or considered a distinct subgenus Rhombochaetodon. According to various DNA sequence studies, some older and more singular lineages. These include species such as the Asian butterflyfish (C. argentatus), the blue-striped butterflyfish (C. fremblii) and Burgess' butterflyfish (C. burgessi). C. burgessi is in fact so peculiar that it was placed in a monotypic subgenus Roaops. But recognition of this would probably result in several other small or monotypic subgenera becoming justified, and the older Rhombochaetodon would be the more conveniently apply to the entire radiation.

But the expanded group is of unclear relationships to species like the speckled butterflyfish (C. citrinellus) and the four-spotted butterflyfish (C. quadrimaculatus). These might be members of the subgenus Exornator – the lineages around the spot-banded butterflyfish (C. punctatofasciatus) – and C. citrinellus certainly looks somewhat similar to these. Yet phylogenetically, their position towards Rhombochaetodon is unresolved, and ultimately it might be better to merge both Rhombochaetodon and Roaops in Exornator. If the genus Chaetodon is split up, Exornator might become a subgenus of Lepidochaetodon or a separate genus.

Source: Wikipedia: Eritrean butterflyfish — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eritrean_butterflyfish (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.