Nature Field Guide
Threebanded Butterflyfish
- Spanish name
- Mariposa de tres bandas
- Scientific name
- Chaetodon humeralis
What Do Pico & Tati Think?
Pico: “It looks as thin as a leaf!”
Tati: “Its flattened body and three dark bands give us clues.”
Species overview
About the Threebanded Butterflyfish
This fish looks like a thin oval disc from the side. Three prominent black bands interrupt its silvery white color, including one through the eye. Dark markings also edge the fins.
A small mouth sits on a pointed snout. The species uses rocky reef habitat, where body shape and band placement are more reliable clues than the word butterfly in its name.
Identification
Key Features of the Threebanded Butterflyfish
Flattened oval body
Three dark body and head bands
Small pointed mouth
Habitat & range
Pacific rocky reefs and nearby coastal marine habitats. Check the linked species reference for its wider range.
Local observations
Recorded at Cabo Blanco.
When to observe
Visibility depends on water clarity, currents, depth and conditions. No fixed local viewing or migration season is assigned.
Conservation & care
Observe with a qualified guide. Do not feed, chase or handle fish. Keep fins off the reef and take all litter home.
Threats & pressures
Habitat damage and degraded water quality are pressures to prevent in coastal fish habitats. This profile does not quantify a local decline.
Observation activity
Sketch the outline and place the eye band before drawing the other body bands.
Explore by location
Guanacaste · Puntarenas & the Gulf Islands · South Pacific · Ocean & Coastal Life