Wilderness Portraits by Lloyd Paul Aiello

Banded Butterflyfish

This Banded Butterflyfish (Chaetodon striatus) is passing through a Slimy Sea Plume (Pseudopterygorgia Americana) at 52 feet below the surface of the Riviera Maya in the Gulf of Mexico. The banded butterflyfish is found in tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean from Brazil to Bermuda. The name is derived from the dark vertical bands on the fish's body and the vertical black bar through the eye. These markings disrupt the outline of the body and act as an efficient antipredator adaptation. The banded butterflyfish diet consists mainly of small invertebrates, crustaceans, coral polyps, polychaete worms and various eggs. Sometimes they will even act as a cleaning fish and remove external parasites from surgeon fish, grunts and parrot fish.

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Filename: P4100115-2-Edit-banded-butterfly-fish-gorgonian.tif
Image Size: 3913x2935 / 60.7MB; www.WildernessPortraits.com; Atlantic Cancun Country Gulf of Mexico Mexico Riviera Maya activity animal behavior animals aquatic banded butterflyfish black blue butterflyfish camouflage close-up color coral descriptors fish format gorgonian hiding horizontal identification master ocean/sea patterns places portrait salt water season spring swimming timid type view water white
Contained in galleries: Recent Additions, Favorite Wilderness Portraits Images, Underwater, Wildlife

This Banded Butterflyfish (Chaetodon striatus) is passing through a Slimy Sea Plume (Pseudopterygorgia Americana) at 52 feet below the surface of the Riviera Maya in the Gulf of Mexico. The banded butterflyfish is found in tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean from Brazil to Bermuda. The name is derived from the dark vertical bands on the fish's body and the vertical black bar through the eye. These markings disrupt the outline of the body and act as an efficient antipredator adaptation. The banded butterflyfish diet consists mainly of small invertebrates, crustaceans, coral polyps, polychaete worms and various eggs. Sometimes they will even act as a cleaning fish and remove external parasites from surgeon fish, grunts and parrot fish.