Common Name: Gunther’s Butterflyfish

Distribution: Abundant in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Widespread tropical West Pacific from southern Japan to Taiwan and the Ryuku Islands, from Papua New Guinea to New South Wales. In Australia recorded from southern Queensland, New South Wales, including Lord Howe Island.

Ecological Notes: Found around reefs, offshore islands and rocky outcrops to 30 m. Common in areas where reef meets sand. A schooling species often seen in pairs or large groups.

Additional Notes: May often follow divers, feeding on small invertebrates and detritus stirred up in the sand, also known to clean large pelagic fish. White forebody and belly, white edge to rear dorsal and anal fin. Similar Citron Butterflyfish, C. citrinellis has yellow all over and has black margin on anal fin. Grows to 14 cm.

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.203.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. http://fishbase.ca/summary/Chaetodon-guentheri.html. Accessed 02/05/18.