Biology
provided by Arkive
This attractive fish feeds on a wide range of food as it flits around its reef habitat. Its broad diet includes small invertebrates, such as amphipods, crabs and marine worms, as well as seaweeds (2). The double sash butterflyfish often pecks this small prey from cracks in the reef (2), using its long, slightly hooked teeth (3). As well as providing food, the rocky or coral habitat also offers small crevices into which the fish can dart if threatened or alarmed (2).
Often seen in pairs, the double sash butterflyfish spawns between May and November, when females release many batches of eggs into the surrounding water. It is thought that the eggs hatch in late winter and spring (3). The double sash butterflyfish is a rather fast growing fish, with males reaching maturity at about two years old, when they measure around ten centimetres in length (3).
Conservation
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Due to its popularity in aquariums, it has been suggested that measures should be implemented to prevent the over-exploitation of this species. These could include the ban of fishing during critical parts of the butterflyfish's life cycle, as well as limits on the size of fish caught, to protect small juveniles and mature adults, and a limit on the number of individuals each person may catch (3).
Description
provided by Arkive
The double sash butterflyfish is superbly suited to its common name; it swims with flitting movements, evocative of the flight of a butterfly, and two prominent bars pattern each side of the body (2). These bars are golden-brown, contrasting sharply with the silvery-white scales covering the body, each bearing a small yellow spot in the centre. The body is round and narrow, with the mouth protruding in a sort of snout (2), and containing fine, elongate, inwardly-hooked teeth (2) (3). A dark, narrow band passes down through each eye and the fins may be yellowish, orange or translucent (2).
Habitat
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Although primarily a marine fish, which inhabits rocky or coral reefs, the double sash butterflyfish also enters estuaries, particularly juveniles which occurs in estuarine weedbeds. It occurs at depths between 1 and 120 metres (2).
Range
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Found only in southern Africa, the double sash butterflyfish ranges from the Western Cape coast, South Africa, to the Bay of Maputo, Mozambique (4). It therefore occurs in both the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, the only butterfly fish to do so (2).
Status
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Classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List (1).
Threats
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Considered to be Vulnerable to extinction, due to its restricted distribution (1), the double sash butterflyfish may be negatively impacted by capture for the ornamental fish trade (3). It is said to do well in artificial tank environments, and is therefore valued by marine aquarists (2).
Life Cycle
provided by Fishbase
Form pairs during breeding (Ref. 205).
Morphology
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Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 23 - 24; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 18 - 19
Trophic Strategy
provided by Fishbase
Inhabits rocky and coral reefs (Ref. 9710). Found among weeds in estuaries (Ref. 9710).
- Recorder
- Drina Sta. Iglesia
Biology
provided by Fishbase
Inhabit rocky and coral reefs (Ref. 9710). Found among weeds in estuaries (Ref. 9710). Oviparous (Ref. 205). Form pairs during breeding (Ref. 205).
Importance
provided by Fishbase
aquarium: commercial
Doublesash butterflyfish
provided by wikipedia EN
The doublesash butterflyfish, (Chaetodon marleyi), also known as the fourbanded butterflyfish or Marley’s butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the southwestern Indian Ocean and the extreme southwestern Atlantic Ocean off southern Africa.
Description
The doublesash butterflyfish has a silvery-white body marked with three broad yellowish-brown vertical bands, another one runs through the eyes, and there is a similar coloured caudal peduncle. The caudal fin has a yellow band while the dorsal and anal fins are yellow.[2] The dorsal fin contains 11 spines and 23-24 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 18-19 soft rays. This species attains a maximum total length of 20 centimetres (7.9 in).[3]
Distribution
The doublesash butterflyfish is found off Southern Africa from Delagoa Bay in Mozambique to Lambert's Bay on the Atlantic coast of Western Cape Province in South Africa.[1]
Habitat and biology
The doublesash butterflyfish can be found on both rock and coral reefs, as well as in estuaries.[3] They may be found at depths of up to 120 metres (390 ft).[1] This is an oviparous species which forms pairs for spawning.[3] This species is omnivorous and feeds on macroalgae,[2] as well as benthic invertebrates such as polychaetes, crustaceans, hydroids and ascidians.[4]
Systematics
The doublesash butterflyfish was first formally described in 1921 by the English ichthyologist Charles Tate Regan (1878-1943) with the type locality given as East London.[5] Regan honoured the collector of the type, the Natal fisheries officer Harold Walter Bell-Marley (1872-1945), in the specific name.[6] Its closest relative is the West African Chaetodon hoefleri.[4] Some authorities place this species within the nominate subgenus Chaetodon but others consider it to be incertae sedis.[6]
References
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^ a b c Rocha, L.A.; Pyle, R.; Myers, R.F. (2010). "Chaetodon marleyi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T4362A10816177. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010.RLTS.T4362A10816177.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
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^ a b "Chaetodon marleyi". Saltcorner!. Bob Goemans. 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
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^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Chaetodon marleyi" in FishBase. December 2019 version.
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^ a b Vine, Niall Gordon (1998). "Aspects of the biology of the doublesash butterflyfish, Chaetodon marleyi (Pisces : Chaetodontidae)". Rhodes University. Archived from the original on 2012-12-24.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help) -
^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Chaetodon". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
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^ a b Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara (21 July 2020). "Order ACANTHURIFORMES (part 1): Families LOBOTIDAE, POMACANTHIDAE, DREPANEIDAE and CHAETODONTIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
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Doublesash butterflyfish: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
The doublesash butterflyfish, (Chaetodon marleyi), also known as the fourbanded butterflyfish or Marley’s butterflyfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the southwestern Indian Ocean and the extreme southwestern Atlantic Ocean off southern Africa.
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- Wikipedia authors and editors
