Arabian Butterflyfish

The Chaetodon melapterus, commonly known as the Arabian butterflyfish, blackfin butterflyfish, or black-finned melon butterflyfish, is a marine ray-finned species within the Chaetodontidae family. This species is native to the northwestern 🌊 Indian Ocean.

Characterized by its predominantly bright yellow body, Chaetodon melapterus displays a distinctive black posterior edge. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins are notably deep black. Three vertical black bands adorn the face: one encircles the snout around the mouth, another passes through the eye, and a third is situated just behind the eye. The dorsal fin consists of 13 spines and 19 to 21 soft rays, while the anal fin is composed of 3 spines and 18 to 19 soft rays. The maximum total length for this species is 13 cm (5.1 in).

The distribution of Chaetodon melapterus extends throughout the northwestern 🌊 Indian Ocean, including the 🌊 Persian Gulf, the southern coastlines of the Arabian Peninsula—from the 🌊 Gulf of Oman to the 🌊 Gulf of Aden—and the southern 🌊 Red Sea.

Inhabiting shallow coastal reefs, Chaetodon melapterus favors regions abundant in coral growth. Typically found in pairs, there are occasional observations of group formations. As an obligate corallivore, its diet is specialized exclusively on coral polyps. The species reproduces oviparously, forming pairs for breeding purposes, and is found at depths ranging from 2 to 16 meters (7 to 52 ft).

Due to its specialized diet of coral, Chaetodon melapterus is deemed unsuitable for aquarium environments. However, it does occasionally appear within the aquarium trade.