West Australian butterflyfish (Chaetodon assarius)

Scientific name: Chaetodon assarius Waite, 1905

The West Australian butterflyfish (Chaetodon assarius) is a marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae. Native range: Eastern Indian Ocean, Western Australia, ranging from the Perth area to Shark Bay. Strays found in southern Indonesia.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 12 - 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 21-22; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 18 - 19

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Chaetodon assarius
Family: Chaetodontidae (Butterflyfishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 13.0
Depth range: 1–40 m (3–131 ft)
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 1 - 40 m
Climate: Tropical
Distribution: Eastern Indian Ocean: Western Australia, ranging from the Perth area to Shark Bay. Strays found in southern Indonesia.
Conservation status (IUCN): Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans: Harmless
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026