SOLITARY ISLANDS
UNDERWATER
RESEARCH GROUP, INC.

Chaetodon rainfordi
(McCulloch, 1923)

Common Name: Rainford’s Butterflyfish

Distribution: Uncommon in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Known only from the Western Pacific region, the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, south to northern New South Wales, and including Lord Howe Island.

Ecological Notes: Frequents open areas of sparse coral growth, depth to at least 15 m.

Additional Notes: Yellow body with a series of dark edged narrow golden bands and black spot on the tail base. Feeds on algae and small benthic organisms. Large juvenile in lower photograph. Grows to 15 cm.

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.209.

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

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