Howstuffworks "Butterflyfish - Encyclopedia Entry"

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Butterflyfish

Butterflyfish is a colorful fish that lives around coral reefs in tropical, subtropical, and temperate seas. There are about 115 species of butterflyfish. Many are popular in home aquariums. Butterflyfish have thin, oval bodies and measure about 4 to 9 inches (10 to 23 centimeters) long. Almost all species of butterflyfish have a dark, vertical bar on the head that passes through the eyes. Most species also have patterns of bars, stripes, lines, spots, or other markings on the body.

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