Eastern triangle butterfly fish

Scientific name : Chaetodon baronessa

Medium size butterfly fish (15 cm), typical shape (triangular, short and tall). Grey colour with dotted vertical yellowish bands, red bands on head.
Living on the reef front, in territorial pairs feeding often on tabular Acropora corals.
Easy to identify due to shape and colour. Another grey butterflyfish living in the same area is Chaetodon reticulatus, more elongate and with a different colour pattern.
Chaetodon triangulum, Indian Ocean species, is only distinguishable for the black tail, and could be a subspecies of C. baronessa.
As obligate corallivorous, can be considered a good indicator of reef health. Being extremely specialized in feeding on few coral species, it can give detailed information on the large tabular Acropora colonies health status. In the pictures it is possible to appreciate the small, pointed, snout, fit to collect coral polyps amongst the branches.

Associated organisms
Can be found almost always on, or next to, large tabular Acropora colonies.