Butterfly ID--need help

[flameangel88]

Can someone help to id this butterfly? On the Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes book by Scott Michael it looks like a Chaetodon speculum--Speculum Butterfly or Ovalspot Butterfly. But the butterfly pictured (below) is missing the black on the tail can this be because this is still early stage? The butterfly about 1" in size.

The PBT is 4"+

Thanks for your help!

 

[greenmonkey51]

Na, I'm pretty sure its a C.interruptus. The tail is the difference maker.

 

[flameangel88]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12177977#post12177977 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by greenmonkey51
Na, I'm pretty sure its a C.interruptus. The tail is the difference maker.

Thanks for quick reply.

That's what I said until someone pointed out that the teardrop has a black band along the dorsal fin area and mine don't unless it'll get one as it gets older. I haven't seen different stages to say one way or the other on this.

 

[JHemdal]

Just for grins, I'm going to toss another name out: Chaetodon zanzibarensis. The caudal coloration fits, and I swear I can see longitudinal stripes in two of the pictures. If you have a copy of Allen's book, volume 2, check out the 2.4" juvenile on page 237 - it has a bit more striping, and then the adults have even more.

Normally I subscribe to the idea that the most common species is the probable ID, so that would rule C. zanzibariensis out on that basis EXCEPT that some fish have been coming out of Mauritius recently.

Do I really think that's what it is? No, although I can't rule it out based on coloration - but if you tell me you paid $75 for it, or the store had gem tangs also, then I'd say - hmmm, could be!

JHemdal

 

[flameangel88]

JHemdal: thanks for the reply.

I don't have Allen's book at home but I did look at that at the lfs but the longitudinal stripes was not as profound in life than in the picture. Now that I look at the picture more and see what you are saying. I just looked at the fish in the tank and the stripes are not visible enough for me to say yes it's there. Anyway, I was only charged $10 and it was eating frozen brine and pellets at the store. I just fed the tank and it ate pellets and frozen marine cuisine.