Chaetodon tricinctus

[ml708]

Anyone seen them for sale? Amazing looking butterflyfishes!

[veliferium]

Lord Howe endemic

Lord Howe is a UNESCO World Heritage Site so collection in those waters are prohibited.

[ml708]

yeah, that is true, however they have been spotted in Norfolk island and northern New South Wales on the east coast of Australia in the south-western corner of the Pacific Ocean. Not sure if the whole stretch is protected as they have been exported to Japan before

[Tony Gill]

I also collected them in a survey of Middleton and Elizabeth Reefs (both now within marine parks), which are just north of Lord Howe Island. In northern NSW, the species is mostly known from islands that are within marine parks. It does sometimes turn up on the coastal reefs outside of marine parks, but there are relatively few commercial collectors operating in NSW.