St Helena Butterflyfish

Chaetodon sanctaehelenae

The St. Helena butterflyfish (Chaetodon sanctaehelenae), locally known as the cunningfish, is a species of butterflyfish in the family Chaetodontidae. Adults reach about 15 cm with a compressed body displaying a yellowish to brownish coloration with darker vertical barring. This species is endemic to the remote mid-Atlantic islands of St. Helena and Ascension Island, making it one of the rarest butterflyfishes in the world. It inhabits rocky reef areas at depths of 3-30 meters around these volcanic islands. The local name 'cunningfish' derives from its ability to nibble bait from fishing hooks while avoiding capture. Like other butterflyfishes, it feeds on small invertebrates and coral polyps. With fewer than a handful of diving operations reaching these remote islands, the St. Helena butterflyfish remains one of the least observed reef fish species by recreational divers.