Black Pyramid Butterflyfish

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Black Pyramid Butterflyfish (Brown-and-White Butterflyfish)
Species:	Hemitaurichthys zoster
Games:	Endless Ocean, Endless Ocean 2
Category:	Small Marine Life
Length:	7in (18cm)
Appearance:	An oval-shaped fish with black fins, a white tail fin and a brown body split down the middle by a pyramid-esque white stripe.
Location: (EO)	Coral reefs all over Manoa Lai
Location: (EO2)	Cavern of the Gods
Time:	Day and night
Dangerous:
Forms:	Adult only

The black pyramid butterflyfish, also known as the brown-and-white butterflyfish (Hemitaurichthys zoster), is a small species of fish that can be found in both Endless Ocean and Endless Ocean 2.

The black pyramid butterflyfish is easily recognized by its distinct coloration, which consists of a dark brown-black base with triangular white patches on the sides and a splash of yellow on the dorsal fin. It is often seen in groups.

In-Game

Marine Encyclopedia

Endless Ocean

Description

"A narrow fish with an oval-shaped body and a length of 18cm. Its body is black with white, pyramid-shaped areas on the sides. Can be seen in the coral in all areas of Manoa Lai all year round.

These fish prefer to swim in very large schools but pair off during the mating season. They can be seen near coral reefs and rocky areas where they can snack on plankton and algae.

Most of the family Chaetodonidae--which includes these fish--live between tens and hundreds of feet deep. However, another species that has adapted to deep-sea life has been discovered at depths of almost 1,000 feet."

Endless Ocean 2

Description

"It is black with a conspicuous white pyramid-shaped stripe. Its closest relative within the butterflyfish is the pyramid butterflyfish, not only in terms of similar body shape but also given its tendency to form schools."

Location

Endless Ocean

Known as the brown-and-white butterflyfish in this game, the black pyramid butterflyfish, unlike its cousin the pyramid butterflyfish, is not found schooling in the main ocean; instead, it can be found under zoom-mode glows. It can be seen inhabiting coral reefs and other similar places, and may be rather difficult to find. It can often be found on the walls of the Underwater Ruins of Mo'ia Atoll.

Endless Ocean 2

In Endless Ocean 2, this fish can be found on the wall in the Altars of Osiris and Isis in the Cavern of the Gods under zoom-mode glows. If the player has Oceana with them, it will be easier to locate.

Behavior

These fish swim around idly in zoom-mode spots. They enjoy being fed.

Gallery

The black pyramid butterflyfish as seen in the first game.

Notes

• A school of these can be found in the lower right corner of Endless Ocean's box art.

Real-Life Information

• Notice how the dark patches can differ in color from black to an almost chocolatey brown.

1/2

• Both descriptions state that the white patch on each side of this fish is somewhat pyramid-shaped, which in turn is the origin of one of its common names. This is correct. However, there are other common names for it, including zoster butterflyfish, brushtooth butterflyfish, girdled butterflyfish, belted butterflyfish, and banded butterflyfish. The latter three are remarks upon the band of white around the fish's middle, "brushtooth" is in reference to the fine, hair-like shape of the fish's teeth, and "zoster" is in reference to its scientific name.
  • The moniker "brushtooth" could actually be applied to the entire family that this fish is a part of, Chaetodontidae - they all have very small, narrow teeth that are arranged in a very distinctive way in the jaws.
• The second game says that the black pyramid butterflyfish's closest relative is the plain pyramid butterflyfish. This much is true; they share a genus, Hemitaurichthys, as well as many aspects of appearance and behavior, such as their propensity for schooling (as also reported in-game). The pyramid butterflyfish could be considered the black pyramid's Pacific counterpart, as it does not appear in the Indian ocean (whereas the black pyramid does).
  • Alongside the pyramid and black pyramid butterflyfish, the genus Hemitaurichthys only has two other members, which do not appear in either Endless Ocean game. They are the many-spined butterflyfish (H. multispinosus) and Thompson's butterflyfish (H. thompsoni).
  • The pyramid is sometimes called the "yellow zoster butterflyfish" to differentiate it from the black pyramid, which is also called the zoster butterflyfish. The pyramid butterflyfish also shares the name "brushtoothed" with the black pyramid on occasion.
• A member of the family Chaetodonidae that lives at depths near 1000 feet deep (304 meters) is mentioned in the black pyramid butterflyfish's in-game description in the first game; this might be referencing Prognathodes guyanensis, a species referred to as the French butterflyfish or Guyana butterflyfish. Described in 1960, it lives at depths of anywhere from 200 feet to 820 feet (60 meters to 250 meters deep).
• The first game says that these fish form pairs during mating season. This is accurate. Otherwise, they live in large schools near coral reefs in order to eat algae and plankton, as the first game also correctly reports. If frightened, they retreat into the safety of the nearby corals to seek shelter.
• The black pyramid butterflyfish is a relatively popular aquarium fish known for its hardiness and striking color pattern, as well as its peaceful nature towards any tankmates. However, it has been noted by aquaculturists that it can be quite shy, and thusly requires a large tank with many hiding spots in order to really thrive.
  • It is very hard to breed in captivity, so it is taken from the wild in order to be sold into the aquarium trade. However, this does not appear to have hurt its numbers; the International Union for the Conservation of Nature has classified it as a species of least concern, which means that it isn't at risk for going extinct anytime soon.

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