Pentapodus setosus, the butterfly whiptail, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Nemipteridae, the threadfin breams.

[3] The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies the genus Pentapodus within the family Nemipteridae which it places in the order Spariformes.

The back is light brownish and the lower part of the body is whitish> there is a blue stripe running the length of the dorsal fin base, a yellow stripe running from behind eye, curving gently on the back and ending with a black spot on the upper caudal peduncle and has a thin blue strip within it which, at the rear of the black spot, joins with another blue stripe running from the anal fin origin.

It has been recorded from southern Vietnam, Hainan in China), Malaysia, Singapore, Sumatra, Papua, Anambas Islands and Brunei.

[2] Pentapodus setosus is taken in large numbers as bycatch in trawl fisheries, as well as being caught in bamboo stake fish traps.