SOLITARY ISLANDS
UNDERWATER
RESEARCH GROUP, INC.

Chaetodon mertensii
(Cuvier, 1831)

Common Name: Mertens Butterflyfish

Distribution: Uncommon in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Ranges throughout the Indo – Pacific region, from Ryukyu Islands to the Philippines and extending to Lord Howe, Rapa and Tuamoto islands. In Australia recorded from Queensland and northern New South Wales and including Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands.

Ecological Notes: Frequents deep lagoons and coral slopes, depth range 10 to 120 m. Feeds on a variety of benthic invertebrates and algae.

Additional Notes: Black chevron pattern with wide yellow band at rear of body. Juvenile pictured in top photo. Adults similarly coloured, body more elongated, see lower photograph. Occurs singularly or in pairs and feed on a variety of benthic invertebrates and algae. Grows to 12.5 cm.

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.206.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. http://fishbase.ca/summary/Chaetodon-mertensii.html. Accessed 11/05/18.

Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au//search?q=chaetodon+mertensii. Accessed 11/05/18.