The yellow longnose butterflyfish is a small fish that averages 8 inches in length with a yellow body and black and white head. It lives in coral reefs in the Red Sea, Australia, Galapagos Islands, and Hawaii, hiding in caves and ledges, and eats shrimp, fish eggs, plankton, and coral. The fish is endangered due to larger predators like sharks and eels in the wild as well as being captured for home aquariums, reducing wild populations.

1. Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish

2. Description
Size: the yellow longnose butterflyfish averages at 8
inches. The largest scientifically measured one is
8.7 inches.
Weight: about 2 ounces.
Coloring: mostly yellow body with a black and white
head and a black spot on the tail.
Unique Features: its flat body allows it to swim
through narrow escape routes on the reef; also,
the black spot on its tail confuses predators so
they don’t know whether they see the head or
the tail

3. Distribution
This species of fish can be found in the Red Sea,
Australia, the Galápagos Islands, Hawaii, and
worldwide

4. Habitat
Yellow longnose butterflyfish
enjoy reef with lots of coral,
caves, and ledges. However,
they live deeper in the water
and are not commonly seen.

5. Endangered Status
Yellow longnose butterflyfish are endangered
because of two reasons. Their predators are
larger fish, eels and sharks. However, humans
are a problem as well. We use butterflyfish as
household pets in aquariums, causing less to be
in the wild.

6. Diets
Zoo
• Worms
• Flake Food
• Tablet Pellets
Wild
• Shrimp
• Fish Eggs
• Hydroids
• Plankton (favorite)
• Coral
• Crustaceans

7. Reproductive History
Females release their eggs in the water. The
eggs go along with the current until they are
ready to hatch into fry. Fry become juveniles.
Juvenile grow into adults and continue mate for
the rest of their lives, living in pairs.

8. Life Span
The average years a yellow longnose
butterflyfish will live is 5 to 10 years.

9. Fun Facts
• Tad in Finding Nemo is a yellow longnose
butterflyfish
• The oldest yellow longnose butterflyfish lived
for 18 years.
• The bright colors of the fish help with
camouflage in the coral reef

10. Taxonomic Classification
• Order: Perciformes
• Family: Chaetodontidae
• Genus: Forcipiger
• Species: Forcipiger Flavissimus

11. Evolutionary History
The yellow longnose butterflyfish has been in its
current form for at least 116 years when it was
discovered by D.S. Jordan and E.A. McGregor. Its
closest living relatives happen to be in the same
genus as it, the forcipiger longirostris and the
forcipiger wanai.