Pacific doublesaddle butterflyfish
Chaetodon ulietensis
- Usual depth4–22 m
- Water temperature22–30 °C
- Best monthsApril, July, and October
- How commonOccasional
Photo credit: (c) 66dodge, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
About this species
Chaetodon ulietensis, the Pacific double-saddle butterflyfish or false falcula butterflyfish, is a species of butterflyfish. It flourishes in coral-rich environments in the central Indo-Pacific region. Their range extends from the Cocos-Keeling Islands to the Tuamotu Islands, and north to Japan. They are usually found from the surface to 20 m depths, and like shallow channels with high current.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Chaetodon ulietensis”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
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Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 136 records
- February: 152 records
- March: 252 records
- April: 284 records
- May: 243 records
- June: 250 records
- July: 301 records
- August: 237 records
- September: 283 records
- October: 389 records
- November: 250 records
- December: 166 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 4–22 m · Deepest record: 56 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 22–30 °C
Photos
(c) Logan Jones, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Thibaud Aronson, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA · iNaturalist 
(c) Susan Prior, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Tim, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Debra Baker, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Cricket Raspet, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist 
(c) Susan Prior, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
Names and classification
- English
- Pacific doublesaddle butterflyfish, Double-saddle Butterflyfish, Doublesaddle Butterflyfish, Double-saddled Butterflyfish, Ovalspot Butterflyfish, Pacific Double-saddle Butterflyfish, Pacific Doublesaddle Butterflyfish, Pacific Double-saddled Butterflyfish, Pacific Doublesaddled Coralfish, Saddleback Butterfly, Sickle Butterflyfish
Names in 5 more languages
- German
- Pazifischer Doppelsattel-Falterfisch
- Spanish
- Pez Mariposa Ensillada del Pacífico
- French
- Chaetodon à deux selles, Papillon à deux selles du Pacifique, Poisson-papillon à deux selles du Pacifique
- Japanese
- Sudarechochouo, Sudare-chôchô-uo, スダレチョウチョウウオ
- Simplified Chinese
- 乌利蝴蝶鱼, 烏利蝴蝶魚, 鞍斑蝴蝶魚, 鞍斑蝶
Other scientific names: Chaetodon aurora, Chaetodon ulientensis
Similar species
Threadfin butterflyfishChaetodon auriga
Citron ButterflyChaetodon citrinellus
Blackblotch ButterflyfishChaetodon ephippium
Sunburst butterflyfishChaetodon kleinii
Raccoon butterflyfishChaetodon lunula
Oval ButterflyfishChaetodon lunulatus
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 2,419 open-data records from 1902 to 2023.
- Species data updated October 26, 2026.
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