Chaetodon punctatofasciatus
A small, striped reef fish logged across Sulawesi, the Visayas and Palawan, usually spotted alone or in loose pairs on shallow coral.
A small, disc-shaped fish about 8 cm long, patterned with narrow dark vertical stripes over a yellow-orange body. The name comes from the row of small black spots forming a diagonal band across the rear flank, just ahead of the tail, which is the easiest mark to pick out from a distance. A dark bar runs through the eye like most butterflyfish, but the spotted band near the tail is the giveaway once you're close enough to see it clearly.
Usually seen picking at coral polyps and algae on shallow reef flats and slopes, often alone or in a loose pair rather than in groups. It tends to hold its ground near a patch of coral rather than bolt when divers approach, though it keeps a bit of distance and won't let you get close. Most sightings come from casual daytime reef swims rather than any particular time slot.
Like other butterflyfish, it picks coral polyps and small invertebrates directly off the reef surface, making it a useful indicator of healthy, undamaged coral when you spot one settled on a patch.
No clear seasonal pattern in the sightings data, and it sits comfortably in water from 26.6 to 29.4 C, so it's a year-round fixture on the reefs where it occurs.
Reef neighbours a diver could mistake it for. Use the identification notes above to tell them apart.
Most reliably logged across Indonesia and the Philippines, with Sulawesi, the Visayas, Luzon, Palawan and Mindanao standing out as strongholds. Also a regular find on reefs in Queensland, Thailand, Malaysia (notably Sabah), Micronesia, Vietnam and Japan.
Mapping where Spotband Butterflyfish is logged…
Indonesia and the Philippines have the strongest records, especially Sulawesi, the Visayas, Luzon, Palawan and Mindanao. It also turns up on reefs in Queensland, Thailand, Malaysia, Micronesia, Vietnam and Japan.
There's no strong seasonal pattern, and it favours warm water between about 26.6 and 29.4 C, so it's present on tropical reefs throughout the year.
Look for a small, roughly 8 cm fish with fine vertical dark stripes on a yellow-orange body and a diagonal row of black spots near the tail. That spotted band, not just the stripes, is what separates it from similar-looking chaetodonts.
They stay small, typically around 8 cm, making them one of the more modestly sized butterflyfish you'll spot on a reef.
No, they pose no risk to divers. They're small reef grazers that keep their distance and have no defensive behaviours of concern.
Site and sighting data is aggregated from diver logs, iNaturalist and GBIF. For taxonomy and conservation status:
