Marquesas butterflyfish (Chaetodon declivis)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from FishBase, occurrence map from GBIF, conservation from IUCN Red List, description from Wikipedia.
The Marquesas butterflyfish (Chaetodon declivis) is a species of marine ray-finned fish, in the family Chaetodontidae, found in the central Pacific Ocean.
- Scientific name
- Chaetodon declivis
- Authority
- Randall, 1975
- Family
- Chaetodontidae
- Order
- Acanthuriformes
- Maximum length
- 12 cm
- Habitat zone
- reef-associated
- Iucn red list
- Least Concern
- Gbif occurrence records
- 27
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Acanthuriformes · Family: Chaetodontidae · Genus: Chaetodon.
Accepted name: Chaetodon declivis · Authority: Randall, 1975 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 273332.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Chaetodon declevis Burgess & Randall, 1978; Roaops declivis; Roaops declivis wilderi Pyle, 1988.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=273332 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Biology and life history (FishBase)
Measured values published by FishBase for Chaetodon declivis. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 12 cm · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: commercial.
FishBase notes: Found over rocky and sandy bottoms. Oviparous (Ref. 205). Form pairs during breeding (Ref. 205). In aquarium trade (Ref. 9210).
Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 12259) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Chaetodon-declivis.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
27 georeferenced occurrence records for Chaetodon declivis are published through GBIF from 2 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 5 distinct locations from a sample of 27 records; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.
Most records by country or area: French Polynesia (26); Kiribati (1).
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2385328) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2385328&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=273332 (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 declivis Randall, 1975 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 165708) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/165708/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2385328) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2385328/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
The Marquesas butterflyfish has a silvery-white body marked with black spots, with the upper posterior section featuring a blackish, wedge-shaped area. A yellow vertical band runs through the eye. The dorsal fin is yellowish-orange while the caudal fin is yellow. They are known to a total length of 12 cm.
The Marquesas butterflyfish is to the Central Pacific Ocean and is primarily found in the Line Islands in the United States Minor Outlying Islands, Phoenix Islands in French Polynesia and Kiribati and Marquesas in French Polynesia.
This species inhabits rocky and sandy seabeds and is an oviparous species which forms pairs for breeding. It is found at depths of between 20 and 80 m. In the wild this omnivorous species feeds on coral polyps, fanworms, crustaceans, tunicates and algae.
The Marquesas butterflyfish was first formally described in 1975 by the American ichthyologist John Ernest Randall, the type locality was recorded as Hanauu Bay on Fatu Hiva in the Marquesas Islands. The specific species name, declivis is derived from Latin, meaning "sloping", refers to the diagonally sloping dark patch on its upper body and fins. Populations of similar fishes in Marshall Islands are believed to be hybrids of C. declivis and butterflyfish (Chaetodon burgessi)
Historical, The Marquesas butterflyfish was collected for the aquarium trade, but its commercial demand has declined since 2006.
Source: Wikipedia: Marquesas butterflyfish — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marquesas_butterflyfish (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
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