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Brown burnies are rather drab compared to other butterflyfish. Other than a dull yellow head they are almost entirely brown. Even their eye bar, characteristic of butterflyfish, is brown. They are solitary, but sometimes pair up for hunting when they pursue small invertebrates. The brown burnie is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN and has a stable population.

Kingklip is a species of cusk eel, and a common table fish eaten in South Africa. Cusk eels look like a cross between a “typical fish” and an eel. Their bodies are elongated and their tail, dorsal and anal fins are joined. They are a pinkish-brown colour. Kingklip are bottom-dwelling fish, found at depths of 50 to 550 m. These predators navigate the dark waters at night and hunt small fish and invertebrates. Kingklip have a varied rating on the WWF SASSI List, with an Orange “Think Twice” label associated with kingklip caught using offshore demersal trawling – a fishing method for hake that drags nets across the seabed, indiscriminate about bycatch. Green-listed kingklip is available in South Africa and caught by a fishing technique known as demersal longline, targeting hake. By using this technique, kingklip bycatch is limited to sustainable amounts. A related species, Genypterus blacodes, or the New Zealand ling is sometimes sold as “kingklip” and is also Green-alternative. Kingklip has not yet been assessed for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

The skunk cleaner shrimp is a member of the Lysmata genus, a group of shrimps notable for their symbiotic relationships with other species, such as moray eels. Cleaner shrimps commonly designate a specific part of their reef as a ‘cleaning station’, where they perform a simple dance. This dance signals to passing fishes that the shrimp is available to perform cleaning services such as removing parasites and dead tissue. Commonly these shrimps cohabitate with large fish, such as groupers or moray eels, in crevasses or caves, the fish will protect the shrimp in return for the health benefits. The shrimp are omnivorous, and are quite capable of hunting other invertebrates (including rival cleaner shrimps), but usually only do so when there is competition for resources. Skunk cleaner shrimps are characterised by their long white antennae. As they mature, a white stripe develops along the back of their carapace, dividing two vivid red bands. Unfortunately for the skunk shrimp, their poor eyesight and colour-blindness has led scientists to believe that they are unable see each other’s beautiful patterns. The adult skunk cleaner shrimp carries its eggs in a set of arms (pleopods) under its body. The eggs hatch into larvae that free-float as plankton, hunting other planktonic animals until taking a more mature shrimp form. All skunk shrimps start life as males, but become functional hermaphrodites once fully mature. It is believed that skunk cleaner shrimps are monogamous, and spend their entire lives with a single mate. These mates will take turns protecting the other when they moult, and will also alternate male and female roles between breeding cycles. The skunk cleaner shrimp has not yet been assessed for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

The old woman angelfish is regarded as a rather dull looking fish. It is a bronze-brown colour with paler hindquarters. Juveniles of the species have blue vertical bars, which they lose at maturity. The old woman angelfish lives in small groups near the coast (east coast of Africa), feeding on algae and seafloor invertebrates. Juveniles remain in tidal pools or are swept away by the Agulhas current. The old woman angelfish is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN and has a stable population.

The vagabond butterflyfish is identifiable by its complex colour pattern. Vertical black bands run across its eyes and between its tail and body. Eight thin, black stripes run from its dorsal fin to its face, and fourteen more stripes intercept these from its sides. It is visually similar to the closely related threadfin butterflyfish, but lacks the eyespot and dorsal fin filament. Vagabond butterflyfish inhabit lagoons, reefs and river mouths across Africa’s east coast, the Red Sea and Japan. These butterflyfish form monogamous pairs that defend their feeding territory. Together the duo search for worms, algae and crustaceans to supplement their omnivorous diet. IUCN status is Least Concern with stable populations.

Threadfin butterflyfish have predominantly white faces and bodies, with yellow hindquarters. They display a thick black stripe across their eyes, and a black eyespot is present on the dorsal fin. Mature adults have a small, yellow trailing filament on their dorsal fins. Threadfin butterflyfish inhabit the slopes of coral reefs, and their colouration varies depending on where they originate. For example, those found in the Red Sea do not have an eyespot. These fish usually stay in a pairs while hunting small invertebrates such as shrimp, but the species is omnivorous and will scavenge if food is scarce. IUCN status is Least Concern, but its populations are decreasing.