Tag Archives: Four-eyed Butterflyfish

‘REEF ENCOUNTER’ 1: GRAY ANGELFISH

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Gray Angelfish 9with four-eyed butterflyfish), Bahamas (Melinda Riger / Grand Bahama Scuba)

‘REEF ENCOUNTER’ 1: GRAY ANGELFISH

Today I learn from a cheery message from WordPress that my illustrated ramblings have been going on for exactly X years, where X is greater than 5 but less than 10. Time to start a new theme: channelling my inner Noel Coward, I am introducing a new mainly pictorial series provisionally called ‘Reef Encounter’. All the awesome beauty of reef life will be here.

Gray Angelfish, Bahamas (Melinda Riger / Grand Bahama Scuba)

In the past I have posted about GRAY ANGELFISH, one of three kinds of angelfish found in the northern Bahamas. Today, I am featuring some more recent images of these pretty creatures. Note in particular the striking shape and colour of their mouths, the blue being found also on the fin edges at the back.

Gray Angelfish, Bahamas (Melinda Riger / Grand Bahama Scuba)Gray Angelfish, Bahamas (Melinda Riger / Grand Bahama Scuba)

On this otherwise gray fish, you’ll also find touches of yellow on the face and the edges of the front fins. In the header image there’s another little fish in the bottom right corner. Not a baby angelfish, but a FOUR-EYED BUTTERFLYFISH – a species that will feature in own right in due course

Gray Angelfish, Bahamas (Melinda Riger / Grand Bahama Scuba)

All fabulous photos by Melinda Riger / Grand Bahama Scuba

Gray Angelfish, Bahamas (Melinda Riger / Grand Bahama Scuba)

BAHAMAS REEF FISH (40): FOUR-EYED BUTTERFLYFISH

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Four-eyed Butterflyfish, Bahamas (Melinda Riger / G B Scuba)

BAHAMAS REEF FISH (40): FOUR-EYED BUTTERFLYFISH

Four-eyed (or foureye) butterflyfish (Chaetodon capistratus) are small, somewhat circular fish with an endearingly pointy little snout. They are one of several butterflyfish species found in Bahamian waters. On their sides are smart ‘go-faster’ chevrons, with the unmistakeable white-circled black ‘eye’ at the back. The real eyes, in the conventional position, are small and far less noticeable, not least because of the stripe that passes right through them.

Four-eyed Butterflyfish, Bahamas (Melinda Riger / G B Scuba)

WHY THIS EXOTIC PATTERNING?

This type of misleading pattern is not uncommon in fishes and indeed in terrestrial creatures. It creates confusion in predators – and when this little fish is threatened it swims away with its large ‘eye’ prominent to the pursuer.  It acts as a warning and an off-putting feature that suggests ‘don’t eat me’. If you half-close your eyes and look at the image below, the large eyes stand out against the reef background and hint at a creature not to be tangled with. Why reef predators don’t rumble this ruse within minutes, I have no idea.

Four-eyed Butterflyfish, Bahamas (Melinda Riger / G B Scuba)

WHAT IF THE RUSE FAILS?

Foureyes are very agile swimmers and can take advantage of narrow gaps and clefts in the reef  by swimming sideways or even upside-down to manoeuvre away from danger and to safety where the predator cannot reach it. 

Four-eyed Butterflyfish, Bahamas (Melinda Riger / G B Scuba)

AND IF THAT DOESN’T WORK?

If the foureye is in deep trouble, it has an alternative cunning plan. It will turn and face the pursuer, head down and dorsal spines erect. This posture says both ‘I’m very spiny – watch out’ and ‘I’m coming atcher’. 

Four-eyed Butterflyfish, Bahamas (Lazlo Ilyes wiki)

AND IF THAT DOESN’T WORK? I’M WORRIED FOR IT NOW…

Curtains. It’s lunchtime, I’m afraid.

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Foureyes are far from the only reef dwellers that have predator-confusing markings. In the image below, the foureye at the top is swimming with a larger BUTTER HAMLET, a species that also relies on an abnormal spot pattern to put off predators. This is a great capture, and it also illustrates how the smaller reef fishes can hang out together amicably.

Four-eyed Butterflyfish, Bahamas (Melinda Riger / G B Scuba)

RELATED POSTS

REEF BUTTERFLYFISH 

SPOTFIN BUTTERFLYFISH

LONGSNOUT BUTTERFLYFISH

Image Credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, Melinda Riger / Grand Bahama Scuba; 5, Lazlo Ilyes

 

 

‘UNDERWATER BUTTERFLIES’: BAHAMAS REEF FISH (8)

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Spotfin Butterfly Fish

UNDERWATER BUTTERFLIES: BAHAMAS REEF FISH (8)

Butterflyfishes (Chaetodontidae) belong to a large worldwide family of small, colourful reef fishes. There are several sorts to be found in the Bahamas, of which 4 are shown below. These creatures resemble small angel fishes, and are invariably vividly coloured, strikingly patterned, or in many cases, both. Apart from that, the most interesting fact about them is that their species name  Chaetodontidae derives from a Greek compound noun meaning ‘hair tooth’. This unsettling description relates to the rows of tiny, fine filament-like teeth inside their protuberant mouths. If I ever get a photo of a butterflyfish showing its teeth while feeding or yawning, I will add it here…

FOUR-EYED BUTTERFLYFISHFour-eyed Butterflyfish ©Melinda Riger @GBS

REEF BUTTERFLYFISH

Reef Butterfly Fish ©Melinda Riger GB ScubaReef Butterflyfish ©Melinda Riger @ GB Scuba

SPOTFIN BUTTERFLYFISHSpotfin Butterfly Fish 2

BANDED BUTTERFLYFISH

Banded Butterflyfish ©Melinda Riger @GBSPhoto Credit: Melinda Riger, Grand Bahama Scuba