Chaetodon mesoleucos, the white-faced butterflyfish, is a species off marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish, belonging to the family Chaetodontidae. It is found in the north western Indian Ocean.
| Chaetodon mesoleucos | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Chaetodontidae |
| Genus: | Chaetodon |
| Subgenus: | Chaetodon (Rabdophorus) |
| Species: | C. mesoleucos
|
| Binomial name | |
| Chaetodon mesoleucos Forsskål, 1775
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
Description edit
Chaetodon mesoleucos has a bluish white anterior part of the body with a vertical black band running through the eye. The rest of the body is pale grey in colour marked with numerous vertical black lines. The caudal fin is black with a white on the inner margin near the caudal peduncle.[3] This species attains a maximum total length of 13 centimetres (5.1 in), although 12 centimetres (4.7 in) is more common.[2]
Distribution edit
Chaetodon mesoleucos is found in the northwestern Indian Ocean. It occurs from the central Red Sea, into the Gulf of Aden and around Socotra.[1]
Habitat and biology edit
Chaetodon mesoleucos occurs at depths between 1 and 25 metres (3.3 and 82.0 ft),[1] inhabiting coral reefs where they occur in pairs.[2] They are thought to feed mainly on coral polyps but will eat a variety of benthic invertebrates.[3] Little is known about the biology of this species.[1]
Systematics edit
Chaetodon mesoleucos was first formally described in 1775 by the Swedish-speaking Finnish explorer, orientalist, naturalist Peter Forsskål (1732-1763), his description was published in 1775 by his companion on his expedition to Yemen, the orientalist and mathematician Carsten Niebuhr. The type locality was given as Al-Mukhā in Yemen.[4] It belongs to the large subgenus Rabdophorus which might warrant recognition as a distinct genus.[5]
Utilsation edit
Chaetodon mesoleucos is uncommon in the aquarium trade.[1] However, it is not a difficult species to keep in captivity.[3]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e Myers, R.F.; Pratchett, M. (2010). "Chaetodon mesoleucos". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T165618A6069401. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T165618A6069401.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Chaetodon mesoleucos" in FishBase. December 2019 version.
- ^ a b c "Chaetodon mesoleucos". Saltcorner. Bob Goemans. 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Chaetodon". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
- ^ Fessler, Jennifer L.; Westneat, Mark W (2007). "Molecular phylogenetics of the butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae): Taxonomy and biogeography of a global coral reef fish family". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 45 (1): 50–68. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2007.05.018.