Bluefinned Butterfish
Odax cyanoallix
- Usual depth11–26 m
- Water temperature15–18 °C
- Best monthsApril and October
- How commonRare
About this species
The bluefinned butterfish a species of marine ray-finned fish, a weed whiting from the family Odacidae, which is found only around Three Kings Islands about 80 km north of New Zealand. It is found in shallow reef areas where brown seaweed is abundant. This species can reach a length of 27 centimetres (11 in) SL. It is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries. Isolated individuals have been recorded elsewhere around the northern North Island.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Bluefinned butterfish”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 2 records
- February: 1 records
- March: 3 records
- April: 9 records
- May: 0 records
- June: 0 records
- July: 0 records
- August: 2 records
- September: 1 records
- October: 13 records
- November: 0 records
- December: 0 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 11–26 m · Deepest record: 26 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 15–18 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Bluefinned Butterfish
Similar species
ButterfishOdax pullus
Blue GroperAchoerodus gouldii
Blue GroperAchoerodus viridis
Hawaiian HogfishBodianus albotaeniatus
Tripletail wrasseCheilinus trilobatus
Blunt-head ParrotfishChlorurus microrhinos
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).
- 44 open-data records from 1977 to 2013.
- Species data updated November 5, 2026.
Log what you see on your next dive
The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.