蝴蝶鱼科(学名:Chaetodontidae)鲈形目的1科,通称蝴蝶鱼。约有12属120多种。体甚侧扁而高,菱形或近于卵圆形。口小,前位,略能向前伸出。两颌齿细长,尖锐,刚毛状或刷毛状;腭骨无齿。鳃盖膜多少与鳃峡相连。有椎骨10-14枚。后颞骨固连于颅骨。侧线完全或不延至尾鳍基。体被中等大或小型弱栉鳞,奇鳍密被小鳍,无鳞鞘。臀鳍有三鳍棘;尾鳍后缘截形或圆凸。蝴蝶鱼一般个体较小,数量较少;体色大部鲜艳美丽。中国产蝴蝶鱼有9属约57种。主要分布于南海,只有少部分进入东海南部。
地理分布
广泛分布于世界各温带到热带的海域,但绝大多数生活于印度-西太平洋区,尤其是珊瑚礁海域。
太平洋地区:其中有4属19种蝴蝶鱼分布于西太平洋; 3属6种分布于东太平洋;1属2种分布于中东太平洋;1属1种分布于中西太平洋;2属2种分布于西北太平洋;2属2种分布于西南太平洋;3属3种分布于东南太平洋;4属13种分布于其他太平洋地区。
印度洋地区:2属4种分布于东印度洋;4属21种分布于西印度洋;3属7种分布于其他印度洋地区。
大西洋地区:3属6种分布于西大西洋;2属2种分布于东大西洋;1属1种分布于中西大西洋;2属2种分布于中东大西洋;2属2种分布于东南大西洋;1属1种分布于西南大西洋。
其他地区:5属28种分布于印度-太平洋区;4属6种分布于印度-西太平洋区。
生存习性
蝴蝶鱼大部分都生活在20公尺以内的浅水水域,是很典型的日行性鱼类,白天出来找东西吃、交配,晚上才躲在礁洞里面休息。觅食时,或群游,或成对,或独游。食性变异大,有的从礁岩表面啄食躲藏在缝隙里的小型无脊椎动物及藻类,有的在水层中捡食浮游动物,有的只吃活珊瑚的水螅虫等。行动迅速,稍受惊动即躲入珊瑚礁或岩石缝中。它们生活史中需要经过一段长时间的漂流期,而使得人工繁殖不易成功。
形态特征
背鳍硬棘:6-16枚;背鳍软条:15-30枚;臀鳍硬棘:3-5枚(一般3枚);臀鳍软条:14-23枚。尾鳍有15枚分支鳍条。

体呈菱形或近于椭圆形,且十分侧扁。口小,端位,略可伸缩;颌齿细长,在上下颌形成刷毛状之狭长齿带。前鳃盖骨平滑,但幼鱼可能具有锯齿或被有突棘。体被中或小型之弱栉鳞或圆鳞。侧线完整,呈弧形,但不明显。幼鱼的头部,因长有骨质板,而被称之“蝶鱼仔鱼”。背鳍连续,硬棘部和软条部间有浅缺刻;腹鳍胸位,具腋鳞;尾鳍一般截形或圆形。
体色会随成长而有所变化,而其中之共同点为:小鱼在背鳍或身体后方通常长有一伪装用的眼斑,随着成长而消失,其目的是用来蒙骗掠食者,使其误把尾部当做头部攻击,而争取逃走的机会;其次为大部份蝴蝶鱼具一条黑色纵带贯通眼睛,这也是欺敌的一种视觉效果。
注:蝴蝶鱼科鱼类(图册一)图片来源。
栖息环境
蝴蝶鱼是生活在热带到暖温带水域的海洋鱼类家族。它们有些出现在微咸河口或封闭港湾,通常沿着岩礁陡坡活动,最常见于浅水(不到20米)珊瑚礁附近,也有一些在200米以下的深水栖居。它们出没于海草栖息地、深泥滩或浅水泻湖周围。许多蝴蝶鱼的幼鱼活动区域相比成鱼有差异,如潮汐湖、巨砾珊瑚礁以及没有珊瑚的浅水。一些研究人员提出设想:蝴蝶鱼最初可能是浮游物种、非珊瑚礁鱼类,后来才扩散到两个或多个互相隔离的珊瑚礁海域。
生长发育
蝴蝶鱼的仔鱼头部长了许多刺,是愈合成骨质板的头盔,可保护自己。仔鱼漂到礁区后就变态成为幼鱼,幼鱼游泳慢,抵抗力也较弱,所以有许多种蝴蝶鱼幼鱼在背鳍后端,靠近身体和尾巴连接的地方,有一个像眼睛一样的斑块。,而真正的眼睛反而以一条黑色色带来掩饰。这是蝴蝶鱼诱使敌人误将尾部认作头部的障眼法,等到长大后,多数种类的假眼就逐渐消失不见了,但黑眼带却是终身保持。

注:蝴蝶鱼科鱼类(图册二)图片来源。
繁育状况
蝴蝶鱼在求偶和交配的时候,通常是一对一。先由体型较大的雄鱼引诱雌鱼离开海底,然后雄鱼用头及吻去碰触雌鱼的腹部,再一起游向海面,同时排精排卵,接著再窜回海底,卵在受精以后,大概一天半就可以孵化,但通常要经历一两个月的仔鱼漂浮期,才会再度回到珊瑚礁区居住。
生物分类
蝴蝶鱼科下分12属128种(表一)属名种名拉丁名英文名双蝶鱼属-Amphichaetodon--宽带双鲽鱼Amphichaetodon howensisLord Howe Island butterflyfish-窄带双蝶鱼Amphichaetodon melbaeNarrow-barred butterflyfish蝴蝶鱼属-Chaetodon--乌顶蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon adiergastosPhilippine butterflyfish-黄蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon andamanensis--银身蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon argentatusAsian butterflyfish-点列蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon assariusWest Australian butterflyfish-金带蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon aureofasciatusGolden butterflyfish-扬幡蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon aurigaThreadfin butterflyfish-耳带蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon auripesOriental butterflyfish-红海蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon austriacusBlacktail butterflyfish-曲纹蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon baronessaEastern triangular butterflyfish-本氏蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon bennettiBluelashed butterflyfish-勃氏蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon blackburniiBrownburnie-柏氏蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon burgessiBurgess' butterflyfish-四斑蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon capistratusFoureye butterflyfish-胡麻斑蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon citrinellusSpeckled butterflyfish-领蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon collareRedtail butterflyfish-绣蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon daedalmaWrought iron butterflyfish-斜蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon declivisMarquesas butterflyfish-横纹蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon decussatusIndian vagabond butterflyfish-阿曼蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon dialeucosOman butterflyfish-黑缘蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon dolosusAfrican butterflyfish-鞍斑蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon ephippiumSaddle butterflyfish-纹带蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon falculaBlackwedged butterflyfish-条纹蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon fasciatusDiagonal butterflyfish-黄吻蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon flavirostrisBlack butterflyfish-黄冠蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon flavocoronatusYellow-crowned butterflyfish-蓝纹蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon frembliiBluestriped butterflyfish-加氏蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon gardineriGardner's butterflyfish-贡氏蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon guentheriCrochet butterflyfish-绿侧蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon guttatissimusPeppered butterflyfish-霍氏蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon hoefleriFour-banded butterflyfish-肩带蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon humeralisThreebanded butterflyfish-点斑蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon interruptusYellow teardrop butterflyfish-克氏蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon kleiniiSunburst butterflyfish-怪蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon larvatusHooded butterflyfish-白肋蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon leucopleuraSomali butterflyfish-纹身蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon lineolatusLined butterflyfish-白梢蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon litusEaster Island butterflyfish]-月斑蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon lunulaRaccoon butterflyfish-弓月蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon lunulatusOval butterflyfish-马达加斯加蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon madagascariensisSeychelles butterflyfish-马利蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon marleyiDoublesash butterflyfish-黑背蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon melannotusBlackback butterflyfish-黑鳍蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon melapterusArabian butterflyfish-默氏蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon mertensiiAtoll butterflyfish-中白蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon mesoleucosWhite-face butterflyfish-麦氏蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon meyeriScrawled butterflyfish-粟点蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon miliarisMillet butterflyfish-僧帽蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon mitratusIndian butterflyfish-多带蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon multicinctusPebbled butterflyfish-黑斑蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon nigropunctatusBlack-spotted butterflyfish-日本蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon nipponJapanese butterflyfish-鳍斑蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon ocellatusSpotfin butterflyfish-尾点蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon ocellicaudusSpot-tail butterflyfish-八带蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon octofasciatusEightband butterflyfish-华丽蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon ornatissimusOrnate butterflyfish-尖头蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon oxycephalusSpot-nape butterflyfish-稀带蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon paucifasciatusEritrean butterflyfish-夕阳蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon pelewensisSunset butterflyfish-马掌蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon pictusHorseshoe butterflyfish-蓝斑蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon plebeiusBlueblotch butterflyfish-点斑横带蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon punctatofasciatusSpotband butterflyfish-四点蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon quadrimaculatusFourspot butterflyfish-雷氏蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon rafflesiiLatticed butterflyfish-林氏蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon rainfordiRainford's butterflyfish-网纹蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon reticulatusMailed butterflyfish-强壮蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon robustusThree-banded butterflyfish-圣赫拿蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon sanctaehelenaeSaint Helena butterflyfish-礁蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon sedentariusReef butterflyfish-弯月蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon seleneYellow-dotted butterflyfish-点缀蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon semeionDotted butterflyfish-黄色蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon semilarvatusBluecheek butterflyfish-史氏蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon smithiSmith's butterflyfish-镜斑蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon speculumMirror butterflyfish-条带蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon striatusBanded butterflyfish-丁氏蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon tinkeriHawaiian butterflyfish-三角蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon triangulumTriangle butterflyfish-三色蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon trichrousTahiti butterflyfish-波带蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon tricinctusThree-striped butterflyfish-三纹蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon trifascialisChevron butterflyfish-三带蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon trifasciatusMelon butterflyfish-乌利蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon ulietensisPacific double-saddle butterflyfish-单斑蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon unimaculatusTeardrop butterflyfish-飘浮蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon vagabundusVagabond butterflyfish-魏氏蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon wiebeliHongkong butterflyfish-黄头蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon xanthocephalusYellowhead butterflyfish-红尾蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon xanthurusPearlscale butterflyfish-桑吉巴蝴蝶鱼Chaetodon zanzibarensisZanzibar butterflyfish钻嘴鱼属-Chelmon--缘钻嘴鱼Chelmon marginalisMargined coralfish-黑鳍钻嘴鱼Chelmon muelleriBlackfin coralfish-钻嘴鱼Chelmon rostratusCopperband butterflyfish镊蝶鱼属-Chelmonops--尖嘴镊蝶鱼Chelmonops curiosusWestern talma-截尾镊蝶鱼Chelmonops truncatusTruncate coralfish
蝴蝶鱼科下分12属128种(表二)属名种名拉丁名英文名少女鱼属-Coradion--褐带少女鱼Coradion altivelisHighfin coralfish-金斑少女鱼Coradion chrysozonusGoldengirdled coralfish-双点少女鱼Coradion melanopusTwospot coralfish镊口鱼属-Forcipiger--黄镊口鱼Forcipiger flavissimusYellow Longnose Butterflyfish-镊口鱼Forcipiger longirostrisBig Longnose Butterflyfish霞蝶鱼属-Hemitaurichthys--多棘霞蝶鱼Hemitaurichthys multispinosusMany-spined butterflyfish-多鳞霞蝶鱼Hemitaurichthys polylepisPyramid butterflyfish-汤氏霞蝶鱼Hemitaurichthys thompsoniThompson's butterflyfish-霞蝶鱼Hemitaurichthys zosterBrown-and-white butterflyfish马夫鱼属-Heniochus--马夫鱼Heniochus acuminatusPennant coralfish-金口马夫鱼Heniochus chrysostomusThreeband pennantfish-多棘马夫鱼Heniochus diphreutesFalse moorish idol-红海马夫鱼Heniochus intermediusRed Sea bannerfish-单角马夫鱼Heniochus monocerosMasked bannerfish]-印度洋马夫鱼Heniochus pleurotaeniaPhantom bannerfish-四带马夫鱼Heniochus singulariusSingular bannerfish-白带马夫鱼Heniochus variusHorned bannerfish约翰兰德蝴蝶鱼属-Johnrandallia--约翰兰德蝴蝶鱼Johnrandallia nigrirostrisBlacknosed butterflyfish副蝴蝶鱼属-Parachaetodon--副蝴蝶鱼Parachaetodon ocellatusSixspine butterflyfish前颌蝴蝶鱼属-Prognathodes--长吻前颌蝴蝶鱼Prognathodes aculeatusLongsnout butterflyfish-沙洲前颌蝴蝶鱼Prognathodes ayaBank butterflyfish-巴西前颔蝴蝶鱼Prognathodes brasiliensis--卡氏前颌蝴蝶鱼Prognathodes carlhubbsi--双色前颌蝴蝶鱼Prognathodes dichrousBicolor butterflyfish-圭亚那蝴蝶鱼Prognathodes guyanensisFrench butterflyfish-深水蝴蝶鱼Prognathodes guyotensis--镰形前颌蝴蝶鱼Prognathodes falciferScythemarked butterflyfish-格氏前颌蝴蝶鱼Prognathodes guezeiGueze's butterflyfish-海栖前颌蝴蝶鱼Prognathodes marcellae--斜纹前颔蝴蝶鱼Prognathodes obliquusOblique butterflyfish前齿蝴蝶鱼属-Roa--澳大利亚蝴蝶鱼Roa australisTriple-banded butterflyfish-夏威夷蝴蝶鱼Roa excelsaHawaiian gold-barred butterflyfish-印度蝴蝶鱼Roa jayakariIndian golden-barred butterflyfish-朴蝴蝶鱼Roa modestaBrown-banded butterflyfish
注:图表来源参考。
保护级别
蝴蝶鱼科中有117种被世界自然保护联盟(IUCN)列为无危物种(LC级),3种列为近危物种(NT级),8种为数据缺乏(DD)。