Description:

Dorsal spines: 12-13; Dorsal rays: 18-20; Anal spines: 3; Anal rays: 15-17.

Small Butterflyfish. Anal fin distinctly angular in full grown adults. 

Colour. Base colour white. 5-7 dark chevron lines on the sides of the body, partly broken into spots. Broad orange bar covering soft dorsal, extending across body, and 
caudal peduncle, to posterior anal fin. Black eyeband not joined above or below to that of opposite side. Horseshoe-shaped black mark on nape. Caudal fin base is white, 
followed by orange bar and white margin. 
 

Maturity: Unknown. Max length: 13.0 cm TL. 

Inhabits outer reef habitats in areas of rich coral growth on seaward reefs (depth 8-60 m). Feeds on algae and benthic invertebrates.Adults usually occurs in pairs. 
Oviparous. Form pairs during breeding.
 

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is too small to be subject to the methods of the artisanal fishery. 

Photo. courtesy and (c) 2021 GVI/SPGA.
Photo. courtesy Eleanor Brighton and Chris Mason-Parker (c) 2022 Blue Safari Seychelles/Marine Conservation Society, Seychelles. Photograph taken at Alphonse group 2022.

Froese, R. & D. Pauly. Eds. (2022). FishBase.  https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Chaetodon-madagascariensis.html (30/06/22).
Maldives Biodiversity (2022). Seychelles Butterflyfish. https://www.maldivesbiodiversity.org/Species/Details/41 (30/06/22).  
Myers, R. & Pratchett, M. (2010). Chaetodon madagaskariensis. The IUCN Red List 2010: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T165642A6078712.en. (30/06/22).
Smith, M. & Heemstra, P. (Eds.) (1999). Smiths’ Sea Fishes Edition 6. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 10.1007/978-3-642-82858-4
 

Nevill, J.E.G. (2022). Chaetodon madagaskariensis, Seychelles butterflyfish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/chaetodon-madagaskariensis-ahl-1923/ (edited 18/07/22).