Marine Wildlife Encyclopedia
Bluecheek Butterflyfish Chaetodon semilarvatus
Butterflyfish provide testimony to the health of a coral reef. A wide variety and plentiful numbers of these brightly colored, disk-shaped fish indicate that a reef is flourishing. Bluecheek butterflyfish are usually seen in pairs and often hide under table corals. The blue eye-patch hides the eye and confuses predators.
zoom image
- Order Perciformes
- Length Up to 9 in (23 cm)
- Weight Not recorded
- Depth 10–65 ft (3–20 m)
- Distribution Coral reefs in Red Sea and Gulf of Aden
zoom image
