Scientific Name
Chaetodon melannotus  
Pronounce  
Chaetodon melannotus黑背蝴蝶魚
by: Lab of Fish Ecol. and Evo., BRCAS
Author Bloch & Schneider, 1801 Depth 4 - 20M
Chinese 黑背蝴蝶魚 Poisonous Fish No 
Family_Chinese 蝴蝶魚科 Economic Fish No 
Family F393 Chaetodontidae Edible Fish No  Chinese In Mainland China 黑背蝴蝶魚 
Max Length 15 cm  Aquarium Fish Yes  Common Name 太陽蝶、曙色蝶、蝶仔(臺東)、紅司公(澎湖)、米統仔(澎湖) 
Distribution in World India Ocean to Pacific Ocean   Distribution in Taiwan East、South、North、North East、PonFu、ShaoLiuChew、LanI Is.、Greeb IS.、Tung Sa IS.、Nan Sa IS. 
Habitats Coral、Coastal、Lagoon  Holotype Locality Indian Ocean 
Synonyms Chaetodon abhortani, Chaetodon dorsalis, Chaetodon marginatus, Chaetodon melanotus, Chaetodon melanotus, Chaetodon reinwardti, Chaetodon reinwardtii, Tetragonoptrus dorsalis, Tetragonoptrus melanotus   
Reference 臺灣魚類誌(沈等, 1993)  沈世傑 編 Shih-Chieh Shen ed. 1993 
Specimen List ASIZP0055370. ASIZP0057044. ASIZP0057586. ASIZP0063532. ASIZP0069615. ASIZP0071275. ASIZP0071358. ASIZP0916928. FRIP21197. FRIP21313. NMMBP08764. NMMSTP00108. NTUM00297. NTUM00298. NTUM00299. NTUM00306. NTUM00308. NTUM00310. NTUM00311. NTUM00315. NTUM00316. NTUM00317. NTUM00318. NTUM00319. NTUM00328. NTUM00329. NTUM00330. NTUM00331. NTUM00332. NTUM08026. NTUM08040. NTUM08608. RUSI35709.  
Common Name Blackbacked butterflyfish; Black-backed coralfish; Black-backed butterflyfish; Black-backed butterfly fish; Blackback butterflyfish 
Redlist Status NL Not in IUCN Redlist     
Characteristic Body oval, deep, strongly compressed. Head length roughly equal to head height; preopercle smooth, without prominent spines. Snout short. Small protractile mouth with brush-like teeth in the jaws. Dorsal fin with XII spines, no notch between spinous and soft dorsal fin; and 18 to 20 soft rays; anal fin with III spines and 16 to 18 soft rays; pectoral fins transparent with 14 or 15 soft rays; pelvic fins with I stout spine and 5 branched rays; caudal fin rounded. Overall white with bright yellow fins; numerous, narrow, oblique black lines on sides; upper back blackish; a black blotch above anal spines; a yellow-edged, black bar through eye.
habitats Usually solitary or in pairs in coral-rich areas of reef flats, lagoons, and seaward reefs at depths of 3 to 15 m. Juveniles inshore. In pairs or traveling in small groups. Feeds on octocorallian and scleractinian coral polyps. Oviparous. 
Distribution Widespread in the tropical Indo-Pacific from Red Sea and East Africa to Samoa, north to southern Japan, south to Lord Howe Island. Throughout Micronesia. Widely around coral reefs in Taiwan. 
Utility Marine aquarium fish.