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Flame Angelfish

TAXONOMY

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)

Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)

Family: Pomacanthidae (Angelfishes)

 

Genus/species: Centropyge loricula

 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: 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 (6 in).

 

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Found among tropical lagoons and coral reefs of the Indian and Pacific Ocean. Depth from 15–60 m (45-180 ft).

 

DIET IN THE WILD: The Flame Angelfish feeds on algae and marine invertebrates associated with coral reefs.

 

REPRODUCTION: Like angelfish in general, this species begins life undifferentiated sexually, changing into females, and may develop into males with one or more females in a territorial harem. After a short mating ritual, male and female(s) rise in the water column to shed and fertilize gametes that develop within the plankton.

 

PREDATORS: C. loricula is preyed upon by many reef fishes.

 

CONSERVATION: IUCN Least Concern (LC)

 

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.

 

References

 

 

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine Coral Reef 2016

 

Ron's Wordpress shortlink wp.me/p1DZ4b-1c8

 

Ron's flickr www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/12201890453/in/set-7215...

 

fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/7814

 

EOL eol.org/pages/219464/details

 

Animal Diversity web animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Centropyge_loricu...

 

1-28-14, 9-11-12, 1-31-14, 3-24-16

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Uploaded on January 29, 2014
Taken on January 16, 2014