Sealife guideThe spotfin butterflyfishChaetodon ocellatus

Last updated on 10/24/2025 at 06:45 PM
Taxonomy
English names Spotfin butterflyfishTwo-spotted butterflyfish
French namesPoisson papillon ocellé
Spanish namesMariposa perla amarilla
Scientific nameChaetodon ocellatus (Bloch, 1787)
FamilyChaetodontidae
OrderAcanthuriformes
ClassActinopterygii
Geographic range
The spotfin butterflyfish inhabits tropical and subtropical waters of the northwestern Atlantic ocean, ranging from the Gulf of Maine southward to the Gulf of Mexico, including the Bahamas, Bermuda and the Caribbean.
The spotfin butterflyfish (Chaetodon ocellatus)
The spotfin butterflyfish (Chaetodon ocellatus) ©  | Dreamstime.com
Juveniles may drift farther north with the Gulf Stream, occasionally reaching temperate areas beyond their usual habitat range.
Did you know ?
The spotfin butterflyfish is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The spotfin butterflyfish appears in the IUCN Red List since 2010 within the category Least Concern !
Within the same genus
Banded butterflyfish
Banded butterflyfishChaetodon striatus
Bluelashed butterflyfish
Bluelashed butterflyfishChaetodon bennetti
Hooded butterflyfish
Hooded butterflyfishChaetodon larvatus
Masked butterflyfish
Masked butterflyfishChaetodon semilarvatus
Ornate butterflyfish
Ornate butterflyfishChaetodon ornatissimus
Oval spot butterflyfish
Oval spot butterflyfishChaetodon speculum
Spotband butterflyfish
Spotband butterflyfishChaetodon punctatofasciatus
Threadfin butterflyfish
Threadfin butterflyfishChaetodon auriga
Within the same family
Copperband butterflyfish
Copperband butterflyfishChelmon rostratus
Horned bannerfish
Horned bannerfishHeniochus varius
Longnose butterflyfish
Longnose butterflyfishForcipiger flavissimus
Orange banded butterflyfish
Orange banded butterflyfishCoradion chrysozonus
Pyramid butterflyfish
Pyramid butterflyfishHemitaurichthys polylepis
Singular bannerfish
Singular bannerfishHeniochus singularius
Two eyed butterflyfish
Two eyed butterflyfishCoradion melanopus
Discover also
Big-spot angler
Big-spot anglerAbantennarius nummifer
Blackside hawkfish
Blackside hawkfishParacirrhites forsteri
Blacktail angelfish
Blacktail angelfishCentropyge eibli
Crocodilefish
CrocodilefishCymbacephalus beauforti
Red sea mimic blenny
Red sea mimic blennyEcsenius gravieri
Reticulate stargazer
Reticulate stargazerDactyloscopus foraminosus
Reticulated sandperch
Reticulated sandperchParapercis tetracantha
Spotted drum
Spotted drumEquetus punctatus
The marine species in the Northwestern Atlantic
French grunt
French gruntHaemulon flavolineatum
Giant caribbean anemone
Giant caribbean anemoneCondylactis gigantea
Hawksbill sea turtle
Hawksbill sea turtleEretmochelys imbricata
Mutton snapper
Mutton snapperLutjanus analis
Northern stargazer
Northern stargazerAstroscopus guttatus
Painted tunicate
Painted tunicateClavelina picta
Scrawled filefish
Scrawled filefishAluterus scriptus
Yellowline arrow crab
Yellowline arrow crabStenorhynchus seticornis

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