Chaetodon rainfordi, also known as Rainford’s butterflyfish, is a captivating marine species found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Let me share some fascinating details about this exquisite fish:
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Appearance:
- Rainford’s butterflyfish boasts a striking color palette. Its basic hue is yellow, adorned with an orange barthat runs through the eye and another thinner orange bar at the base of the pectoral fin.
- Two blue-grey bands, edged with yellow-orange, grace its body. You’ll often find a black spot on its caudal peduncle.
- The dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins are all a vibrant yellow.
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Size:
- This butterflyfish reaches a maximum total length of approximately 15 centimeters (about 5.9 inches).
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Distribution:
- Rainford’s butterflyfish inhabits the waters of the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
- You can spot it off the southern coast of Papua New Guinea, along the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland (Australia), south to the Solitary Islands, and even near Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea.
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Habitat and Diet:
- It thrives among coastal and offshore reefs at depths ranging from 5 to 20 meters (16 to 66 feet).
- Rainford’s butterflyfish prefers areas with sparse coral growth.
- As an obligate corallivore, it feeds exclusively on coral polyps.
- During breeding, it forms pairs.
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Systematics:
- The species was first described in 1923 by the Australian ichthyologist Allan Riverstone McCulloch.
- The specific name “rainfordi” honors Edward Henry Rainford, an amateur naturalist and viticulturist who provided specimens for the Australian Museum.
Next time you’re near a coral reef, keep an eye out for this enchanting butterflyfish!
