Hong Kong Corals & the Associated Marine Life

This species of butterfly fish was recently first recorded from local waters. It is quite rare, inhabiting rich areas of hard coral as it feeds mainly on live polyps of Acropora corals. Hong Kong is probably close to the northern limit for this tropical species along the coast of mainland China.

This species looks similar to C.  plebeius, but it doesn't have a black spot at the tail base. It is common in Port Shelter.

It is a distinctive fish, with two broad brownish-yellow bars on each side of the silvery-white body. This species is one of the most abundant butterfly fish in Hong Kong. Though this butterfly fish is a deep water species in other regions, it can be found in local shallow boulder areas.

This species is unmistakable with the diagonal bands on the body and the black spot at the posterior margin. It is widespread and moderately abundant below waters of 3 m in depth.

This species has many fine black vertical lines covering the body. The dorsal, caudal and anal fins are bright yellow. It is moderately abundant in coral areas of Port Shelter.

It has diagonal black lines on both sides of the white body and a broad black near the dorsal fin. This fish was found at Bluff Island , probably occurring from Lamma Island to Ping Chau.

It is a juvenile hiding among the branches of stony coral Acropora. It is distinctive with the 8 vertical bars on the yellow body. This species is moderately abundant in areas of Acropora corals.

The distinguishing features of this species are the large black spot above operculum and the elongated caudal fin lobes. It is common in shallow coral communities and along exposed rocky reefs.

This is the most abundant fish inhabiting coral communities after some of the gobies. It was described as a new species from a specimen collected in Hong Kong in the early 1800s. The new species was named after R.A. Bankier, a surgeon in the British Navy, who collected the specimen. Although the Chinese demoiselle is known from other regions, it only seems to be common here.

On the sides of its yellow body, seven bands can be found, which are distinctly narrower than the spaces between them. This species is common in shallow boulder and coral areas.

Its body colour is highly variable throughout its range, from orange , brown to black. The three white bars on the head and body is distinctive. This species is common and always found associated with the sea anemone  Entacmaea  quadricolor.