HomeMarine aquarium fishAngelfish & butterflyfishHorned bannerfish Horned bannerfish (Heniochus varius) Scientific name: Heniochus varius Cuvier, 1829 The Horned bannerfish (Heniochus varius) is a marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae. BiologyDorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 22-25; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 17 - 18. Mostly black with two white bands running from caudal peduncle and breast to each end of spinous section of dorsal fin. Young with banner. Adults develop a prominent hump on the forehead and a curved horn above each eye, and lose the elongate dorsal filament.Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameHeniochus variusFamilyChaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes)OrderPerciformes (Perch-like fish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length19.0Depth range2–20 m (7–66 ft)EnvironmentMarine; reef-associated; depth range 2 - 20 mClimateTropicalDistributionPacific Ocean: Indonesia to the Society Islands, north to southern Japan, south to Rowley Shoals and New Caledonia; throughout Micronesia. Reported from Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean. Replaced by Heniochus pleurotaenia in the Indian Ocean.Conservation status (IUCN)Least Concern (LC)Threat to humansHarmlessUsesFisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercialResilienceHigh, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.) More angelfish & butterflyfishPajama cardinalfishSphaeramia nematopteraSingular bannerfishHeniochus singulariusMasked bannerfishHeniochus monocerosThreeband pennantfishHeniochus chrysostomusThompson's butterflyfishHemitaurichthys thompsoniPyramid butterflyfishHemitaurichthys polylepisSee all angelfish & butterflyfish SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026