THE STEINHART AQUARIUM - Gulf of Guinea Science ...

Appearance: Typically bright orange-red color;
black blotch near the head and 4–5 black bars
across the body; flaring caudal fin about half
the body height. Orange-red dorsal and anal
fins tipped in alternating purple-blue and
black bands. Males are brighter and larger than
females. Max. length: 15 cm.
Diet: Algae and marine invertebrates on the
reefs.
Reproduction/Development: Like angelfish in
general, this species begins life undifferentiated
sexually, matures to female, and may subsequently
develop as a male with one or more females in a
territorial harem. After a short mating ritual, both
sexes rise in the water column to shed and fertilize
gametes that develop within the plankton.
Mortality/Longevity: Preyed upon by many
reef fishes.
Remarks: Members of the genus Centropyge are
the dwarf or pygmy angelfishes.
Territorial males may determine dominance
by grappling with interlocked jaws, a
behavior humans sometimes mistake for a
fishy kiss.
Lemonpeel Angelfish
Centropyge flavissima (Pomacanthidae)
Angelfishes
Distribution: West-central Pacific.
Appearance: Yellow dwarf angelfish with blue
eye ring, blue margin to opercular cover and
to dorsal, anal, and caudal fins. Max. size: 14
cm.
Habitat: Coral reefs in shallow lagoons.
Diet: Algae and corals.
Reproduction and Development: As with
other dwarf angels, they are sequential
protogynous hermaphrodites. They start
out sexually undifferentiated, develop into
females, and with environmental influences,
may develop into males. Males are typically
larger.
Mortality/Longevity: Reported 11 years in
captivity.
Remarks: C. flavissima is the model for the juvenile
Lemonpeel Mimic Tang (Acanthurus pyroferus).
Mimicry is presumably an advantage as the adult
angelfish has a sharp spine, while the young
mimic has a small, still ineffective weapon.
California Academy of Sciences
151
Lamarck’s Angelfish aka Blackstriped
Angelfish
Genicanthus lamarck (Pomacanthidae)
Angelfishes
Distribution: Indo-Pacific: ranging eastward to
Vanuatu, from the Solomon Islands and New
Hebrides north and westward to southern
Japan, and southward to the Great Barrier
Reef.
Habitat: A tropical reef dweller; at depths from
10–35 m.
Appearance: Sexually dimorphic; white or
silver body with horizontal black stripes from
eye to speckled lyre tails. Females have bolder
stripes, one extending into the tail. Males have
a yellow spot on the forehead, longer more
pointed caudal fin and jet black pelvic fins;
females’ pelvic fins are white. Max. length:
25 cm.
Diet: Plankton.
Reproduction/Development: Males maintain
harems, scatter pelagic eggs after mid-water
mating rituals. The eggs and larvae drift, then
settle onto the reef at the time of metamorphosis
to the juvenile stage.
Remarks: They prefer the top to middle of their
depth range unlike most other angelfishes.
Males and females are so distinct that sexes
were once considered separate species.
One of the few angelfish to display sexual
dimorphism.
Their genus, Genicanthus, is distinctive among
angelfish for their lyre tails, an adaptation to
open water, fast swimming. They are also the
only group of angelfish that feed on plankton.
Swallowtail Angelfish aka Blackspot
Angelfish
Genicanthus melanospilos (Pomacanthidae)
Angelfishes
Distribution: Western Pacific.
Habitat: Outer reef slopes rich in coral growth
interspersed with sand, also in caves or along
the bases of boulders, 20–45 m. Typically in
male/female pairs or small groups of females
with one male, 1–2 m above the bottom at the
base of drop offs.
Appearance: To 18 cm. Sexes are dimorphic.
Male: white with about 15 narrow, black bars,
gold spots on tail and dorsal fins. Female: upper
body and head yellow, lower body light