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/The Conscientious Marine Aquarist

Butterflyfishes of the Genus Prognathodes

Bob Fenner

Prognathodes falcifer, SIO


Butterflyfishes for  Marine Aquariums
Diversity, Selection & Care
New eBook on Amazon: Available here
New Print Book on Create Space: Available here


by Robert (Bob) Fenner

The Best of the Genus:

Prognathodes aculeatus (Poey 1860), Caribbean Longsnout Butterflyfish. A delicate-appearing deepwater to shallows tropical west Atlantic to Brazil species. A very nice addition to a peaceful biotopic presentation. Generalized omnivore. Turks, Caicos pic.

Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.

Prognathodes aya Jordan 1866, the Doubleband Butterflyfish. Found along the mid Atlantic US coast along to Mexico's Yucatan. Rare in the trade, and seldom seen. Here's a very nice pic by Anthony Calfo. Thanks Antoine!

Prognathodes falcifer Hubbs & Rechnitzer 1958, the Scythe Butterflyfish. A cool water species found off of Mexico's Baja and much further to the south in the Galapagos. A good selection for a biotope aquarium depicting life, conditions from these areas. To about six inches in length. SIO/Birch Aq. photo 2012

Bigger PIX:
The images in this table are linked to large (desktop size) copies. Click on "framed" images to go to the larger size.

The Unknowns: Not enough data in the literature, credible firsthand accounts, or personal experience to judge

Prognathodes dichrous Gunther 1869, Hedgehog Butterflyfish. Known only from the central Atlantic Ocean, about St. Helena and Ascension Islands. About six inches maximum length.

I wish, pt. II

Prognathodes guyanensis Durand 1960, the Threeband Butterflyfish. To about five inches long. Known from the tropical west Atlantic from the Bahamas south to French Guiana.
Prognathodes guezei Mauge & Bauchot 1976, Gueze's Butterflyfish. Distributed around the northern waters of Madagascar. To four inches long.

Never seen 

Prognathodes guyotensis Yamamoto & Tameka 1982, the Guyote Butterflyfish. Recorded from the Maldives and a part of the northwestern Pacific. To five inches in length.
Prognathodes marcellae Poll 1950, Marcella Butterflyfish. West coast of Africa, Senegal to Guinea. To five inches. One shot by RMF at the CAS in 2012

Prognathodes obliquus Lubbock & Edwards 1980, the Oblique Butterflyfish. Described only from St. Pauls Rocks in the Atlantic off of Brazil.


Butterflyfishes for  Marine Aquariums
Diversity, Selection & Care
New eBook on Amazon: Available here
New Print Book on Create Space: Available here


by Robert (Bob) Fenner
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