Chaetodon lunula (Lacepède, 1802)
Raccoon butterflyfish
Chaetodon lunula
photo by Muséum-Aquarium de Nancy/B. Alenda

Family:  Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes)
Max. size:  20 cm TL (male/unsexed); max. reported age: 9 years
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 170 m
Distribution:  Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Hawaiian, Marquesan, and Ducie islands, north to southern Japan, south to Lord Howe and Rapa islands. Southeast Atlantic: East London, South Africa (Ref. 5372).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 10-14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 20-25; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 17-20. Description: Body orange-yellow, dorsal side dusky, ventral side diagonal brown stripes, eye bar black. Snout length 2.9-3.4 in HL. Body depth 1.4-1.7 in SL (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Nocturnal species that is usually in pairs or small groups in shallow reef flats of lagoon and seaward reefs to depths of over 30 m. Juvenile occurs among rocks of inner reef flats and in tide pools (Ref. 205). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Adult feeds mainly on nudibranchs, tubeworm tentacles, and other benthic invertebrates, also feeds on algae and coral polyps. Oviparous (Ref. 205). Forms pairs during breeding (Ref. 205).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 05 October 2009 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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