Animal Species:Coral Beauty, Centropyge bispinosa (Günther, 1860)

Alternative Name/s

Two-spined Angelfish, Twospine Angelfish

Identification

The Coral Beauty is usually blue-purple on the head and the dorsal, anal and caudal fins. The centre of the body is orange to yellow, with blue lines or spots.

Size range

The species grows to 10 cm in length.

Distribution

It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-West and Central Pacific, from East Africa, north to Japan, south to Australia and east to the Tuamoto Islands.

In Australia it is known from off north-western Western Australia and the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland to the central coast of New South Wales. It is also known from Lord Howe Island.

Distribution by collection data

Biomaps map of Coral Beauty specimens in the Australian Museum collection.

What does this mean?

Habitat

The Coral Beauty is most common on outer reef slopes. It is a secretive species that uses crevices in the reef for shelter. This fish occurs singly or in small groups.

It is found in depths from 5 m to 45 m.

Feeding and Diet

The species feeds on algae.

Classification

Species:

bispinosa

Genus:

Centropyge

Family:

Pomacanthidae

Order:

Perciformes

Class:

Actinopterygii

Subphylum:

Vertebrata

Phylum:

Chordata

Kingdom:

Animalia

What does this mean?

References

1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 220.
2. Allen, G.R., Steene, R. & M. Allen. 1998. A Guide to Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes. Odyssey Publishing/Tropical Reef Research. Pp. 250.
3. Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 330.
4. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 251.

Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated: 6 October 2009

Tags fishes, ichthyology, Coral Beauty, Centropyge bispinosa,