Photo. (c) 2019 John Nevill.
Photo. (c) 2019 John Nevill.
Photo. (c) 2019 John Nevill.
Genus: Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes)
Scientific Name: Chaetodon trifasciatus
English Name: Melon butterflyfish
Creole Name: Papiyon
French Name: Papillon côtelé indien
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC)
Description:
Dorsal spines: 3; Dorsal rays: 25-27; Anal rays: 24-25.
Greyish to greenish brown dorsally, with small pale spots. Whitish ventrally with yellow spots that can coalesce to form a reticulum particularly posteriorly. 3 large
oval white spots along the back and a small one dorsally on caudal peduncle; a broad white streak often on side of body posterior to upper end of gill opening. White
blotches and mid-lateral stripe can disappear with growth. An oblique groove before the eye; large bony scales behind gill opening. Caudal peduncle depressed, slender
and tapering. Yellow bands on dorsal and anal fins. Caudal fin, yellow with white bars and stripes pattern and diffuse black margin, double emarginate, lobes longer
with growth.
Size:
Maturity: Lm unknown. Range unknown. Max Length: 60cm TL
Habitat and Ecology:
Reef associated. Inhabits mud and silt sand bottoms (depth 7-350m), usually 7-100m depth on sand, sponge, and weed bottoms. Feeds on benthic animals, including crabs,
molluscs and sea urchins. Juveniles in sheltered coastal bays and estuaries.
Fishery Status:
This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is caught in both the fish trap and hand line fisheries and is, along with Sufflamen fraenatum,
the most commonly caught triggerfish in the artisanal fishery.
Notes:
Abalistes stellaris is a synonym for this species.
References:
Bray, D.J. (2018). Abalistes stellatus in Fishes of Australia, http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/759 (30/10/18).
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. Eds. (2018). FishBase https://www.fishbase.de/summary/abalistes-stellatus (30/10/18)
Matsuura, K. (2015). Taxonomy and systematics of tetraodontiform fishes: a review focusing primarily on progress in the period from 1980 to 2014. Ichthyol Res (2015)
62:72–113 DOI 10.1007/s10228-014-0444-5
Matsuura, K. & Motomura, H. (2015). Abalistes stellatus. The IUCN Red List 2015: e.T193587A56996805. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/193587/56996805 (18/06/22). .
Matsuura K, Yoshino T (2004). A new triggerfish of the genus Abalistes (Tetraodontiformes: Balistidae) from the western Pacific. Rec Aust Mus 56:189-194
Smith, M & Heemstra, P Eds. (1999). Smiths’ Sea Fishes Edition 6. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 10.1007/978-3-642-82858-4
Citation:
Nevill, J.E.G. & Mason-Parker, C. (2019). Abalistes stellatus, Starry triggerfish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/abalistes-stellatus-anonymous-1798/ (updated 18/06/22).
Description:
Dorsal spines: 13-14; Dorsal rays: 20-22; Anal spines: 3; Anal rays: 18-21.
Small, oval shaped, laterally compressed fish. Angular snout with terminal mouth.
Colour. A complex colour pattern with many fine details (see photos). In summary, however: base colour pale orange shading to bluish posteriorly. Blue grey stripes run the
length of the body from rear of the opercle, the fifth line down bearing a black streak in its posterior third. A yellow margined black band runs down the head through the
eye to the “throat”. A white and black band runs adjacent to it posteriorly. The snout is black with tip and mouth a brownish orange. The anal, caudal and posterior dorsal
fin bases exhibit a yellow-margined black band. The anal fin has an outer yellow edge. The caudal peduncle is orange and the distal portion of the caudal fin is transparent.
The posterior portion of the dorsal fin exhibits a white band with a narrow black line running though it and a narrow black edge followed by an outer orange margin. Pectoral
fin is transparent. Pelvic fins are pale orange.
Size:
Maturity: Lm unknown. Range Unknown. Max Length: 15cm TL. Commonly to 12cm TL.
Habitat and Ecology:
Inhabits coral rich lagoons and sheltered portions of reefs (depth 2-30m, usually 2-20m). Swim in pairs. Oviparous, Distinct pairing in breeding. Small juveniles secretive
in corals. Obligate corallivore feeds exclusively on coral polyps, particularly of the Pocillopora type.
Fishery Status:
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
Notes:
A 30% decline in population have been documented in Seychelles following the 1997/98 coral bleaching event.
References:
Bray, D.J. Chaetodon trifasciatus in Fishes of Australia, http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4835 (16/06/19).
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. (Eds.) (2019). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Chaetodon-trifasciatus (16/06/19).
Graham, N.A.J. et al. (2007). Lag effects in the impacts of mass coral bleaching on coral reef fish, fisheries, and ecosystems. Conservation Biology 21(5): 1291-1300.
Pyle, R. et al. (2010). Chaetodon trifasciatus. The IUCN Red List 2010: http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T165673A6087793.en. (16/06/19).
Citation:
Nevill, J.E.G. (2019). Chaetodon trifasciatus, Melon butterflyfish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/chaetodon-trifasciatus-park-1797/ (edited 30/06/22).
There are no comments