Chaetodon trichrous explained

Chaetodon trichrous (Tahiti butterflyfish) is a species of fish in the family Chaetodontidae.^[1]

Taxonomy

This species is included in the subgenus Lepidochaetodon. In 1984, André and Roland Bauchot Maugé proposed to include this species in a new genus Mesochaetodon.^[2]

Description

Chaetodon trichrous can reach a length of about . The back half of the body is dark brown to black, while the front part is grayish, with a small vertical black stripe through the eye. The tail is yellow.

Biology

These fishes feed over hard substrate and on plankton.^[3] They usually live singly, in pairs or in small groups.

Distribution

This species is endemic to French Polynesia (Marquesas Islands, Society Islands, Tahiti, Tuamotu Archipelago) in the central-south Pacific Ocean.

Habitat

Chaetodon trichrous prefers shallow coastal habitats, lagoon reefs and rocky reefs, at depths between 3 and 25 meters.

External links

• ITIS
• Animal Diversity Web
• Catalogue of life
• NCBI

Notes and References

1. Burgess, W.E., 1978. Butterflyfishes of the world. A monograph of the Family Chaetodontidae. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey.
2. André Maugé and Roland Bauchot Les genres et sous-genres de Chaetodontidés étudiés par une méthode d'analyse numérique
3. Robert Reavis and Joshua M Copus Monogamy in a feeding generalist, Chaetodon trichrous, the endemic Tahitian Butterflyfish