Emperor Angelfish
TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Pomacanthidae (Angelfishes)
Genus/species: Pomacanthus imperator
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Juveniles have concentric white circles, also distinguished by a white dorsal fin margin. The adult pattern emerges at about 10 cm (4 in): vivid. It has alternating yellow and blue stripes and yellow tail; blue edged eye mask, broad blue-edged black bar behind head. A long stout preopercule spine is present on the gill cover that is common to angelfishes.
Length to 40 cm (16 in).
DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT:Indo-Pacific. Juveniles are solitary found under ledges and holes of outer lagoon patch reefs or semiprotected areas of exposed channels and reef flats. Adults occur near ledges and caves in regions of robust coral growth on clear lagoon, channel or seaward reefs to 70 m. Adults typically in male/female pair or solitary.
DIET IN THE WILD: P. imperator feed on sponges and other encrusting organisms such as tunicates. Young and adults may clean much larger fishes such as sunfish.
REPRODUCTION: Males will have 2 or more females in their harem. The male meets the female several times at the same spot before rising.The spawning ascent is upwards for 3 – 9 meters. The male stays with the female for a while after swimming down from the rise and than departs across the reef (probably after the next femaleI, The larvae float in a planktonic stage for a few weeks before turning into fry.
LONGEVITY: More than 5 years in captivity.
CONSERVATION: IUCN: Least Concern (LC)
REMARKS: When alarmed, can produce low frequency drumlike noises that are loud enough to startle divers.
References
California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine coral reef 2016
Ron's flickr www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/3308685675/in/set-72157...
Ron's Wordpress shortlink wp.me/p1DZ4b-nq
fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/6504
Arkive www.arkive.org/emperor-angelfish/pomacanthus-imperator/
Australian Museum australianmuseum.net.au/Emperor-Angelfish-Pomacanthus-imp...
3/29/16
Emperor Angelfish
TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Pomacanthidae (Angelfishes)
Genus/species: Pomacanthus imperator
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Juveniles have concentric white circles, also distinguished by a white dorsal fin margin. The adult pattern emerges at about 10 cm (4 in): vivid. It has alternating yellow and blue stripes and yellow tail; blue edged eye mask, broad blue-edged black bar behind head. A long stout preopercule spine is present on the gill cover that is common to angelfishes.
Length to 40 cm (16 in).
DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT:Indo-Pacific. Juveniles are solitary found under ledges and holes of outer lagoon patch reefs or semiprotected areas of exposed channels and reef flats. Adults occur near ledges and caves in regions of robust coral growth on clear lagoon, channel or seaward reefs to 70 m. Adults typically in male/female pair or solitary.
DIET IN THE WILD: P. imperator feed on sponges and other encrusting organisms such as tunicates. Young and adults may clean much larger fishes such as sunfish.
REPRODUCTION: Males will have 2 or more females in their harem. The male meets the female several times at the same spot before rising.The spawning ascent is upwards for 3 – 9 meters. The male stays with the female for a while after swimming down from the rise and than departs across the reef (probably after the next femaleI, The larvae float in a planktonic stage for a few weeks before turning into fry.
LONGEVITY: More than 5 years in captivity.
CONSERVATION: IUCN: Least Concern (LC)
REMARKS: When alarmed, can produce low frequency drumlike noises that are loud enough to startle divers.
References
California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine coral reef 2016
Ron's flickr www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/3308685675/in/set-72157...
Ron's Wordpress shortlink wp.me/p1DZ4b-nq
fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/6504
Arkive www.arkive.org/emperor-angelfish/pomacanthus-imperator/
Australian Museum australianmuseum.net.au/Emperor-Angelfish-Pomacanthus-imp...
3/29/16