Description:

Dorsal spines: 13-14; Dorsal rays: 20-23; Anal spines: 3; Anal rays: 17-20.

A small deep bodied, almost round, but laterally compressed fish. Angular, prominent snout with distal mouth. 

Colour. Head and chest white, with black lips and a broad black bar running vertically from origin of dorsal fin through the eye to the chest. Band above eye blue on some 
adults. Body yellowish-orange with a pale spot on each scale giving the impression of pale broken horizontal stripes. Some fish with faint white zone at midbody. Narrow, 
pale bar at base of caudal fin. Median fins yellow. Posterior dorsal and anal fin edged in white with narrow black submargin. Pectoral fin transparent. Caudal fin margin 
is transparent.

Maturity: Lm unknown. Range unknown. Max Length: 15cm TL. 
 

Inhabits rocky reefs and coral-rich areas of lagoons, channels and outer reef slopes (depth 2-61m, usually less than 10m). Occurs singly, in pairs, or occasionally in 
larger aggregations of up to about 30 individuals. Feeds mainly on soft corals, but also eats benthic invertebrates and zooplankton. Oviparous. Form pairs during breeding.

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is caught in the fish trap fishery and also in nets, but is an uncommon component of the landed catch, 
as it is typically released by fishers when caught.  

Bray, D.J. & Thompson, A.S.  Chaetodon kleinii in Fishes of Australia, http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/2383 (15/06/19)
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. (Eds.) (2019). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/5446 (15/06/19).
Heemstra P & Heemstra, E. (2004). Coastal Fishes of Southern Africa. NISC SAIAB. ISBN: 1-920033-01-7.
Rocha, L.A. et al. (2010). Chaetodon kleinii. The IUCN Red List 2010: http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T165628A6072507.en. (15/06/19).

Nevill, J.E.G. (2019). Chaetodon kleinii, Sunburst butterflyfish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/chaetodon-kleinii-bloch-1790/ (edited 29/06/22).