Butterflyfishes
Spotfin Butterflyfish
Chaetodon ocellatus
Species Overview
White body with a black bar through the eye; dorsal, caudal and anal fins yellow or transparent; narrow yellow bar from the gill opening to the pectoral-fin base; deep, compressed body; dorsal fin 12–14 spines, 18–21 soft rays; develops dusky bands at night (FishBase).
- Size
- Typical adult 8–18 cm [3–7 in] (ReefGuide); maximum recorded 20 cm TL [7.9 in] (FishBase).
- Habitat
- Shallow, clear-water coral reefs (FishBase).
- Range
- Caribbean, Bahamas, Florida, Gulf of America (Mexico), Bermuda; western Atlantic from Florida to Brazil, with juveniles carried north as far as Massachusetts and once Nova Scotia.
Life stages
Juveniles have a second black bar from the soft dorsal-fin base to the anal-fin base (FishBase); ReefGuide shows a Young Adult photo. Matures at about 13.9 cm (FishBase).
Explore reef conservation
Learn about Caribbean reef habitats, invasive lionfish and the work of the Caribbean Reef Fish Foundation.
TL means total length; SL excludes the tail fin; FL measures to the tail fork. These measurements are not interchangeable.