ABSTRACT
The Chaetodontidae is a diverse family of percomorph fi shes represented by 122 extant species, characterised by deep compressed bodies, small protruded mouths and bristle-like teeth (Allen et al., 1998). The family is dominated by fi shes of the genus Chaetodon, which are among the most conspicuous inhabitants of coral reef environments. Two thirds of all butterfl yfi shes are found living within coral reef habitats, and many of these species feed mainly, if not exclusively, on reef-building corals (Cole et al., 2008; Cole and Pratchett, Chapter 5). Because of their reliance on corals for food, Chaetodon butterfl yfi shes are regarded among the most specialised and highly evolved coral reef fi shes (e.g., Gosline, 1985). These fi shes are inextricably linked to the corals on which they feed (Reese, 1977, 1981), but did the family originate within coral reef environments?
