Yellow-Mask Angelfish

Scientific Name: Pomacanthus xanthometopon
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 38cm
Identification: Yellow with large blue spots on scales forming network pattern, blue head with yellow eye mask; large black spot on rear dorsal.
Favourite: Solitary; feed on sponges and tunicates.
Hide-out: Coral-rich areas in 5-30m.
Location: Indo-Asian Pacific - Maldives to Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea and Vanuatu. S.W. Japan to Great Barrier Reef.

Western Yellowtail Angelfish

Scientific Name: Chaetodontoplus personifer
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 35cm
Identification: Blackish body, blue head, (yellow-spotted in male) with white bar behind, orange breast, tail orange with black bar; blotch on nape.
Hide-out: Flat bottoms with rocky coral patches in 6-30m.
Location: N.W. Australia from Shark Bay to W. edge of Gulf of Carpentaria.

Vermiculated Angelfish

Scientific Name: Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 18cm
Identification: Purplish gray with white vermiculations, tail yellow or gray (possibly two species); white to yellowish patch behind head, black eye bar.
Favourite: Solitary or in pairs.
Hide-out: Coral-rich areas of inshore reefs to 20m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Indonesia, Malaysian Peninsula, Philippines, New Guinea to Solomon Is. S.W. Japan and to N. Australia.

Six-Banded Angelfish

Scientific Name: Pomacanthus sexstriatus
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 46cm
Identification: Tan with blue scale centers and 6 dark bars; head dark blue with white bar behind eye, blue spotting dorsal, anal and tail fins.
Favourite: Solitary or in pairs.
Hide-out: Coastal, lagoon and outer reefs in 3-60m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Indonesia, Philippines and New Guinea to New Caledonia. S.W. Japan to N.W. & E. Australia.

Semicircle Angelfish

Scientific Name: Pomacanthus semicirculatus
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 35cm
Identification: Greenish brown with blue spotting, pale yellowish lips; blue margins on cheek, spine and gill cover, narrow blue margins on rear dorsal, anal and tail fins.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Sheltered inshore reefs to 40m.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - E. Africa too Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea and Fiji. S.W. Japan to N.W. & E. Australia.

Scribbled Angelfish

Scientific Name: Chaetodontoplus duboulayi
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Dark blue with yellow snout; broad bar on rear head and forebody, yellow stripe under dorsal fin continues to include tail.
Favourite: In pairs or small groups; feed on sponges.
Hide-out: Coastal reefs in 5-20m.
Location: N.W. & N.E. Australia, Aru Is. in Indonesia to S. New Guinea.

Rusty Angelfish

Scientific Name: Centropyge ferrugatus
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 10cm
Identification: Rusty color with numerous brown spots; dorsal and anal fins edged with bright blue.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups; usually close to reef crevices.
Hide-out: Rocky reefs and rubble in 6-30m.
Location: S.W. Japan south through N. Mindanau in Philippines. Common at Okinawa.

Regal Angelfish

Scientific Name: Pygoplites diacanthus
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Yellow-orange with 7-8 dark-edged bluish-white bars, yellow tail; dark patch around eye; blue and orange bands on anal fin.
Favourite: Solitary or in pairs; feed on sponges and tunicates.
Hide-out: Lagoons and outer reefs to 48m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Indonesia, Philippines and Polynesia. S.W. Japan to N. Australia and New Caledonia.

Queensland Yellowtail Angelfish

Scientific Name: Chaetodontoplus meredithi
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Blackish body, head blue, (yellow-spotted in male) with white bar behind; yellow breast and bright yellow tail; yellow blotch on nape.
Favourite: Solitary or in pairs.
Hide-out: Flat bottoms with rocky coral patches in 6-45m.
Location: E. Australia from Great Barrier Reef (rare) to Sydney area and Howe I.

Orange-Faced Angelfish

Scientific Name: Chaetodontoplus chrysocephalus
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 22cm
Identification: Orangish head grading to brown then black toward rear, tail yellow; maze of blue markings on head, blue stripes on body.
Hide-out: Coral and rubble in 15-25m.
Location: Asian Pacific - E. Indonesia, Malaysian Peninsula, N. Philippines and W. Pacific Rim to Sagami Bay, Japan.

Half-Banded Angelfish

Scientific Name: Genicanthus semicinctus
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Male - Grayish with black bars that end above yellowish belly; light gray bars on chest, spotted tail.
Favourite: Usually form groups.
Hide-out: Outer reef slopes in 10-50m.
Location: S.W. Pacific at Lord Howe I. and Kermadec Is.

Flame Angelfish

Scientific Name: Centropyge loricula
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 10cm
Identification: Brilliant red to red-orange with about 5 black bars; blue markings on rear edge of dorsal and anal fins.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups; shy.
Hide-out: Seaward reefs and lagoons in 5-60m.
Location: Central Pacific - W. New Guinea and Micronesia to Hawaii. Great Barrier Reef to French Polynesia. Scattered populations in West Pacific and Indonesia.

Blue-Stripe Angelfish

Scientific Name: Chaetodontoplus septentrionalis
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 20cm
Identification: Brownish orange with bold blue stripes, tail yellow.
Hide-out: Rock or coral reefs in 5-60m.
Location: W. Pacific Rim including S. China, Taiwan and S.W. Japan.

Blue-Ringed Angelfish

Scientific Name: Pomacanthus annularis
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 45cm
Identification: Orangish brown with upward curving blue bands, tail white; blue ring above pectoral fin, numerous blue markings of head.
Favourite: Solitary or in pairs.
Hide-out: Coastal reefs, frequently in murky water, also around caves and wrecks to 60m.
Location: Indo-Asian Pacific - E. Africa to indonesia, Philippines and Solomon Is. W. Pacific Rim to S.W. Japan.

Blue-Girdled Angelfish

Scientific Name: Pomacanthus navarchus
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Yellow-orange with blue spots and blue lips; deep blue broad girdle wraps body from nape to ventral fins along belly and curving up to above base of tail.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Coral reefs in 3-40m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Indonesia to W. Micronesia and Solomon Is. Philippines to Great Barrier Reef.

Pinstriped Angelfish

Scientific Name: Genicanthus watanabei
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 15cm
Identification: Male - Bluish head and back with alternating black and white stripes on remainder of body.
Favourite: Usually form mixed-sex feeding aggregations above reefs.
Hide-out: Outer reefs in 12-80m.
Location: Pacific - S.W. Japan to Micronesia, E. Australia and New Caledonia to French Polynesia. Absent Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea and Solomon Is.

Pewter Angelfish

Scientific Name: Chaetodontoplus dimidiatus
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 20cm
Identification: Light gray head and back, black below, dorsal and anal fins black with yellow margin, yellow tail; maze of yellow markings on snout and nape.
Favourite: Solitary or in pairs.
Hide-out: Inshore and outer rock and coral reefs in 5-30m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Indonesia and Philippines, north to S.W. Japan.

Ornate Angelfish

Scientific Name: Genicanthus bellus
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 18cm
Identification: Male - Light gray; golden orange stripe along base of dorsal fin and another on mid-body, borders of tail blue.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups; feed on plankton above bottom.
Hide-out: Outer reefs, 25-110m; rare above 50m.
Location: Scattered Pacific - Philippines and scattered east Pacific Is. to Mariana and Marshall Is. Also Society Is. in French Polynesia.

Orangepeel Angelfish

Scientific Name: Centropyge shepardi
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 12cm
Identification: Red-orange with narrow dark bars, rear dorsal and anal fins also black.
Hide-out: Exposed outer reefs on mixed live and dead coral bottoms in 10-56m.
Location: Mariana Is. in Micronesia and Bonin Is. north to Japan's Izu National Park.

Emperor Angelfish

Scientific Name: Pomacanthus imperator
Family: Angelfish - Pomacanthidae
Maximum Size: 38cm
Identification: Vivid alternating blue and yellow stripes and yellow tail; blue-edged black eye mask, broad blue-edged black bar behind head.
Favourite: Solitary; make loud drumming sound when alarmed.
Hide-out: Coral reefs in 6-60m.
Location: Indo Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Indonesia, Philippines, Hawaii and French Polynesia. S.W. Japan to N. & E. Australia.