Blue Angelfish, Pomacanthus semicirculatus (Cuvier, 1831)
Half-circled Angelfish, Koran Angelfish, Semicircle Angelfish, Zebra Angel-fish
Click to enlarge image
© Erik Schlögl
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Pomacanthus
- Species
- semicirculatus
- Family
- Pomacanthidae
- Order
- Perciformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- It grows to 38 cm in length.
Introduction
The Blue Angelfish is relatively commonly seen by divers in tropical waters.
Identification
The Blue Angelfish has a deep compressed body. It is yellow to brownish with small blue spots on body. There is a bright blue ring around the eye. The preopercular spine and margins of the operculum and preoperculum are bright blue. The margins of the ventral fins and median fins fins are bright blue.
A Blue Angelfish at a depth of 4m, North-West Island, Queensland.
Image: Sascha Schulz© Sascha Schulz
Habitat
The species occurs in coral reef and inshore waters.
Distribution
The Blue Angelfish occurs from the Western Indian Ocean to the Central Pacific.
In Australia it is known from south-western Western Australia, around the tropical north of the country and south to southern New South Wales.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
References
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
- Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The Marine Fishes of Northwestern Australia. A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 201.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 330.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.
