Indian vagabond butterflyfish (Chaetodon decussatus)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Chaetodon decussatus · Authority: Cuvier, 1829 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 273333.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Chaetodon descussatus Cuvier, 1829; Chaetodon vagabundus jordani Ahl, 1923.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=273333 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 20 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: Found on rich coral reefs, also on rubble and rocky areas. Adults in pairs, juveniles solitary. Closely related to C. vagabundus (Ref. 48636). Home ranging (Ref. 90102).

Feeds largely on algae and coral polyps, but captive ones will accept a wide variety of food. Oviparous (Ref. 205). Form pairs during breeding (Ref. 205). Excellent aquarium fish.

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 10352) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Chaetodon-decussatus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

398 georeferenced occurrence records for Chaetodon decussatus are published through GBIF from 11 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 57 distinct locations from a sample of 398 records, omitting 7 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: Indonesia (144); India (77); Thailand (76); Sri Lanka (75); Maldives (14); Bangladesh (4); Myanmar (2); Timor-Leste (2); Yemen (2); Australia (1); Philippines (1).

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2385588) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2385588&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=273333 (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 Chaetodon decussatus Cuvier, 1829 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 165648) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/165648/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2385588) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2385588/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

The Indian vagabond butterflyfish has a silvery-white body marked with diagonal grey lines and with a broad black vertical band running through the eyes. The posterior lower part of the body is largely black. There are yellow markings on the tail and anal fins. Growing to a maximum of 20 cm (nearly 8 in) long, it is found on rich coral reefs and also on rubble and rocky areas.

The monogamous adults swim in pairs and may be territorial and aggressive to other Chaetodon; juveniles are solitary. The Indian vagabond butterflyfish feeds largely on algae and coral polyps. They are oviparous.

The Indian vagabond butterflyfish was first formally described in 1829 by the French anatomist Georges Cuvier (1769–1832), the type locality was given as "India". It belongs to the large subgenus Rabdophorus which might warrant recognition as a distinct genus.

In this group, it almost certainly is a rather close relative of the threadfin butterflyfish (C. auriga) and the vagabond butterflyfish (C. vagabundus). C. decussatus might be closer to the threadfin butterflyfish than to the common Vagabond Butterflyfish; as C. vagabundus has yielded abnormal DNA sequence data this is hard to say however. The C. auriga species group shares the characteristic pattern of two areas of ascending and descending oblique lines; species differ conspicuously in hindpart coloration.

Source: Wikipedia: Indian vagabond butterflyfish — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_vagabond_butterflyfish (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.