Mirror butterflyfish (Chaetodon speculum)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Chaetodon speculum · Authority: Cuvier, 1831 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 218740.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Chaetodon ocellifer Franz, 1910; Chaetodon spilopleura Cuvier, 1831; Nalbantius speculum (Cuvier, 1831).

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=218740 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 18 cm · Depth range: 3–30 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: minor commercial · Aquarium trade: commercial.

FishBase notes: In coastal reef slopes rich with hydroids and anemones. Small juveniles secretive in coral thickets (Ref. 48636). Usually solitary and relatively uncommon.

Feed on coral polyps and invertebrates (Ref. 9710). Oviparous (Ref. 205), monogamous (Ref. 52884). Form pairs during breeding (Ref. 205).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 5576) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Chaetodon-speculum.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

2,157 georeferenced occurrence records for Chaetodon speculum are published through GBIF from 28 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 238 distinct locations from a sample of 2,157 records, omitting 37 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 (834); Indonesia (374); New Caledonia (346); Chinese Taipei (157); Philippines (103).

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

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2385315) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2385315&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=218740 (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 speculum Cuvier, 1831 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 165694) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/165694/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2385315) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2385315/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

It grows to a maximum of 18 cm (7 in) in length. There are 14 spines and 17-18 soft rays in the dorsal fin and 3 spines and 15-16 soft rays in the anal fin. The body color is a bright to orange-yellow with a big black blotch below the dorsal fin and a vertical black bar running through the eye.

The mirror butterflyfish was first formally described in 1831 by the French anatomist Georges Cuvier (1769-1832) with the type locality given as Jakarta.

Like the other butterflyfishes with angular yellow bodies with black eyestripes and a single differently-colored patch (except in the quite basal Blue-lashed Butterflyfish, C. bennetti), it belongs in the subgenus Tetrachaetodon. Among this group it seems to be particularly close to the Zanzibar butterflyfish (Chaetodon zanzibarensis) which has a smaller black blotch and traces of horizontal stripes on the flanks. If Chaetodon is split up, the subgenus Tetrachaetodon would be placed in Megaprotodon.

The Mirror Butterflyfish is found in coral reefs at depths between 3 and 30 m. It favors coastal reef slopes rich in hydroids and sea anemones.

Small juveniles hide in coral thickets. Usually, this species is solitary and relatively uncommon. They feed on coral polyps and invertebrates.

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