Chaetodon gardineri Norman, 1939
Gardner's butterflyfish
Chaetodon gardineri
photo by Field, R.

Family:  Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes)
Max. size:  17 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 2 - 91 m
Distribution:  Western Indian Ocean: Gulf of Aden to the Gulf of Oman eastward to Sri Lanka. Also reported from Persian Gulf (Ref. 68964).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 12-12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 20-22; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 18-19. Description: Large black area over the posterior part of the body (Ref. 48636). Snout length 2.5-2.8 in HL. Body depth 1.6-1.7 in SL (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Found in deep reefs below 25 m, rarely as shallow as 15 m (Ref. 9710). Found in East Indian region at 2-40 m (Ref. 90102). Paired or in groups (Ref. 9710, 48636). Oviparous (Ref. 205). Form pairs during breeding (Ref. 205).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 08 October 2009 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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