Spotfin Butterflyfish

The body of the Spotfin Butterflyfish is short, deep, and strongly compressed laterally. Its white coloration is crossed by a wide black vertical bar covering the head and passing through the eye. A narrow yellow band connects the gill opening to the base of the pectoral fin.

In juveniles, a second black bar extends from the base of the soft dorsal fin to that of the anal fin. The dorsal, caudal, and anal fins are adorned with yellow or remain transparent. A behavioral peculiarity marks the diel cycle: the appearance of diffuse dark bands on the body during the night.

This species forms stable pairs, a sociability that is particularly maintained during the breeding season. It operates in pairs within its habitat, strengthening bonds between partners for territory defense. Its diet consists of various benthic invertebrates that it picks from the seabed. It actively probes coral and rocky substrates to capture its prey, an activity that occupies a large part of its day.

Adults form distinct pairs for breeding, releasing their gametes into the open water. The pelagic eggs drift with the currents. Larvae develop early the characteristic auditory structures and swim bladder of the genus, with inflated horns appearing after the larval stage (tholichthys).