A Taxonomic Study Of Chaetodontidae In China

Butterflyfishes of the Chaetodontidae (Pisces: Perciformes: Percoidei) are small coral reef fishes occupying tropical to temperate seas. Their vivid coloration and striking patterns have attracted much attention of aquarists, and make them famous aquarium fishes. They are mainly distributed in the Indo-West Pacific, and often found in the South China Sea and the continental coast of Taiwan in China.Butterflyfishes and angelfishes Family Pomacanthidae were, until the mid-1970s, combined in the same family; however, W. E. Burgess in a 1974 study gave reasons for recognizing them in separate families (and noted many morphological differences, including those in osteology, between the two groups). The absense of the sharp spine on the lower posterior corner of the preopercle distinguishes and separates butterflyfishes from angelfishes. Due to the difficulty in catching, there isn’t a special study or investigation report in China at present. The description and records of butterflyfishes only occured in some local fishes records or resource investigation reports piecemeal. Furthermore, Chaetodontidae in most classification data still involves Chaetodontinae and Pomacanthinae.The present study deals with the classification of the Chinese chaetodontid fishes, which based on the specimens collected by Shanghai Ocean University, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, CAS and South China Sea Fisheries Research Institute, CAFS during 1954--2006 and the new results of study obtained by scientists of the world. As a result, 7 genera and 46 species are recorded. In the paper, an identification key of Chinese Chaetodontidae is given; the morphological characteristics of every species are descripted in great detail, the habit and distribution are introduced in brief; the morphological characteristics of confusable species are compared; the controversial issues are discussed. The conclusions of this study are summarized as follows:1. The diversity of Chinese chaetodontid fishes is very great. 46 species, which takes 37.7% of 122 in the world, could be comfirmed to occur in the China seas.2. Morphological studies have shown that differences in external features such as the body form, color, pattern, lateral line, shape of snout, dosal fin, anal fin, teeth, etc., have been found among different chaetodontid species; These characteristics could be used effectively for species identification.3. Mistaken chaetodontid species in some primary Chinese literature are summarized. For instance, there are 3 of 11 species recorded in The Fishes of the South China Sea: Coradion chrysozonus should be Coradion altivelis, Cheatodon trifasciatus should be Cheatodon lunulatus, Cheatodon bella-maris should be Cheatodon wiebeli; 10 of 30 in The Fishes of the Islands in the South China Sea: Forcipiger longirostris should be Forcipiger flavissimus, Hemitaurichthys zoster should be Hemitaurichthys polylepis, Coradion chrysozonus should be Coradion altivelis, Heniochus acuminatus partly should be Heniochus diphreutes, Heniochus permutatus should be Heniochus chrysostomus, Cheatodon strigangulus should be Cheatodon trifascialis, Cheatodon trifasciatus should be Cheatodon lunulatus, Cheatodon falcula should be Cheatodon ulietensis, Cheatodon collare should be Cheatodon auripes, Cheatodon chrysurus should be Cheatodon xanthurus; 1 of 6 in The Fishes of Fujian Province ( Part 2 ): Coradion chrysozonus should be Coradion altivelis; 1 of 43 in Fishes of Taiwan: Cheatodon trifasciatus should be Cheatodon lunulatus; 11 of 40 in Systematic synopsis of Chinese fishes: Forcipiger longirostris should be Forcipiger flavissimus, Hemitaurichthys zoster should be Hemitaurichthys polylepis, Coradion chrysozonus should be Coradion altivelis, Heniochus permutatus should be Heniochus chrysostomus, Cheatodon strigangulus should be Cheatodon trifascialis, Cheatodon triangulum should be Cheatodon baronessa, Cheatodon trifasciatus should be Cheatodon lunulatus, Cheatodon falcula should be Cheatodon ulietensis, Cheatodon collare should be Cheatodon auripes, Cheatodon chrysurus should be Cheatodon xanthurus, Chaetodon miliaris should be Chaetodon guentheri.4. A new record species of China: Heniochus diphreutes was found by analyzing comparatively on the morphological characters. It could be distinguished from the relative species H. acuminatus by a combination of the following characteristics: Dorsal fin usually with 12 spines (vs. 11); 2-3 rows of teeth on both jaws (vs. 5-7); ventral profile of head convex (vs. almost straight); anal fin more angular, and black area on posterior part of anal fin usually extending anteriorly to longest soft ray (vs. more rounder, and usually not extending anteriorly to longest soft ray); snout shorter than eye (vs. longer).