Golden angelfish
| Golden angelfish | |
|---|---|
| |
| Centropyge aurantia in captivity | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Acanthuriformes |
| Family: | Pomacanthidae |
| Genus: | Centropyge |
| Species: | C. aurantia
|
| Binomial name | |
| Centropyge aurantia | |
Golden angelfish (Centropyge aurantia), also known as golden pygmy angelfish or velvet dwarf angel, is a small marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. It inhabits shallow reefs in the western Pacific Ocean.
Description
[edit]The Golden angelfish is an overall reddish orange in colour marked with numerous vertical thin sinuous golden bars on its flanks. The dorsal, anal and caudal fins have a few dark submarginal bands. The eye is encircled by a dark bluish ring.[2] The dorsal fin contains 14 spines and 16–17 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 17–18 soft rays. This species attains a maximum total length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in).[3]
Distribution
[edit]The Golden angelfish is found in the Western Pacific Ocean. Its range extends from eastern Indonesia through Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands east to Fiji and Samoa.[1] It occurs as far south as Australia where it has been recorded at Carter Reef off Queensland.[2]
Habitat and biology
[edit]The golden angelfish inhabits areas with many coral reefs and rocky outcrops, often hiding in crevices surrounded by sponges. It is an omnivore, feeding on algae, detritus and invertebrates.[2] This is a shy species which is only infrequently observed by divers.[3] It is found at depths of 3 to 20 metres (9.8 to 65.6 ft).[1]
Systematics
[edit]The Golden angelfish was first formally described in 1974 by John E. Randall (1924–2020) and Richard C Wass with the type locality given as Pago Pago Harbor, Tutuila, Aua Reef in American Samoa.[4] Some authorities place this species in the subgenus Centropyge. The specific name aurantia means “orange”, referring to the overall colour of this fish.[5]
Utilisation
[edit]The golden angelfish is rarely found in the aquarium trade.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Pyle, R.; Myers, R.F. (2010). "Centropyge aurantia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T165893A6159207. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T165893A6159207.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ a b c Bray, D.J. (2020). "Centropyge aurantia". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
- ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Centropyge aurantia". FishBase. December 2019 version.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Centropyge". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
- ^ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara (21 July 2020). "Order ACANTHURIFORMES (part 1): Families LOBOTIDAE, POMACANTHIDAE, DREPANEIDAE and CHAETODONTIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 17 January 2021.