Yellowhead butterflyfish
Chaetodon xanthocephalus
Valid name (FishBase; confirmed in Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes and WoRMS, October 2026).
- English
- Yellowhead butterflyfish
- Scientific
- Chaetodon xanthocephalus
- Dhivehi
- ބޯރީނދޫ ބިބީBoareendhoo bibee
- Group
- Reef fish
- Maximum size
- Up to about 20 cm (total length)
- Depth and habitat
- Coral reefs and reef-associated habitats, recorded from 1 to 30 m
- IUCN status
- LC · Least ConcernLeast Concern (LC), assessed 2009
Description
A white butterflyfish with a bright yellow-orange head, thin dark chevron lines on the body and yellow-edged rear fins. It is usually solitary around isolated coral heads, but may form loose groups. It is territorial and aggressive towards other butterflyfish and feeds on a wide range of food.
In the Maldives
Dhivehi Wikipedia (MRS-derived) gives boareendhoo bibee. Restricted to the western Indian Ocean, from East Africa to Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Sources
- fishbase.se /summary/Chaetodon-xanthocephalus.html
- fishbase.se /comnames/CommonNamesList.php?ID=7794&GenusName=Chaetodon&SpeciesName=
- dv.wikipedia.org /wiki/ބޯރީނދޫ_ބިބީ
- commons.wikimedia.org /wiki/File:Chaetodon_xanthocephalus_Réunion.jpg
Dhivehi name source: FishBase (country: Maldives) gives only the general group name 'Dhon bibi'. Thaana from the Dhivehi Wikipedia article 'ބޯރީނދޫ ބިބީ' (derived from the MRS 1997 Dhivehi edition). No published Latin-script form found; 'Boareendhoo bibee' is Pax's transliteration of the Thaana (Malé Latin conventions). FishBase also lists 'Handupholimas', 'Rhindukokka' under India (Minicoy/Lakshadweep Mahl dialect); not used. FLAG: Latin form is a transliteration, not a published spelling.