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The Spot Banded Butterflyfish (Chaetodon punctatofasciatus) is a colourful tropical fish species that is a member of the ‘Butterflyfishes’ family Chaetodontidae. It has a broad distribution throughout the Indo-Pacific region and it is known to occur from Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean to the Line Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands, and south to Rowley Shoals and the northern Great Barrier Reef. It is also found throughout Micronesia. This species is replaced by Chaetodon guttatissimus in the Indian Ocean. The body is coloured brownish yellow with vertical rows of spots forming bands on the upper portions of the sides and a black-edged orange bar runs across the eye. The caudal peduncle is bright orange whilst the posterior edge of the caudal fin is transparent. This species can be commonly seen on coral reefs and in clear water lagoons and seaward reefs. It is known to feed on filamentous algae, corals, and benthic invertebrates and can often be found in pairs. The Spot Banded Butterflyfish (Chaetodon punctatofasciatus grows to a maximum length of approximately 12cm.
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