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| fishes text index | photo index |
| Phylum Chordata > Subphylum Vertebrate > fishes > Family Chaetodontidae |
| Kite
butterflyfish Parachaetodon ocellatus Family Chaetodontidae updated Sep 2020 Where seen? This kite-shaped fish with stripes and a spot on the base of the tail is sometimes seen on our Northern our shores. Among seagrasses or coral rubble. Usually alone but sometimes in a group. Elsewhere, it is found in coastal and inner reef habitats, often in sandy or silty flat-bottom areas littered with sponge growth, sometimes found among seagrass. Features: To about 18cm, those seen at low tide usually about 4-8cm. Body flat, circular disk-shaped, snout is blunt. 4 bands which are black, brown or brown-edged yellowish (5 bands as juveniles and 4 as adults). White-edged black bar at the base of the tail, with a smudged dark eye spot on the dorsal fin. Upper parts of the dorsal fin and body yellowish. Adults have a more pointed dorsal fin. It is also sometimes called the Ocellate coralfish. |
 Kusu Island, Aug 08 |
 Chek Jawa, Jul 05 |
 Juvenile seen among seagrasses. Cyrene Reef, Jul 08 |
| Skirting with death? Sometimes, small groups of small Kite butterflyfishes (about 3-4cm) are seen very near, but not touching, Haddon's carpet anemones. Sometimes also hiding under the sea anemone. One was also seen near a cerianthid. |
| Baby kites: The fishes form
pairs during breeding season. Elsewhere, juveniles sometimes seen in large lagoons with seagrasses.
Adults school in large numbers over open muddy bottoms in deep water. What does it eat? It eats small bottom-dwelling creatures and possibly sponges. It is also reported to be omnivorous. Human uses: Unfortunately these beautiful fishes are popular in the live aquarium trade although they are considered difficult to keep and feed. |
| Kite butterflyfishes on Singapore shores |
On wildsingapore
flickr
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| Other sightings on Singapore shores |
 Terumbu Hantu, Jun 20 Photo shared by Dayna Cheah on facebook. |
 Terumbu Raya, Jul 11 Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on flickr. |
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