Holacanthus ciliaris

Queen angelfish | Golden Angelfish | Queen Angel | Yellow Angelfish | Blue Angelfish
Holacanthus ciliaris
Holacanthus ciliaris, Bonaire, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Holacanthus ciliaris
Holacanthus ciliaris, juvenile, Bocas del Toro, Panama, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Holacanthus ciliaris
Holacanthus ciliaris, Belize, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Holacanthus ciliaris
Holacanthus ciliaris, Abrolhos, Bahia, Brazil, Photo: Graham Edgar
Holacanthus ciliaris
Holacanthus ciliaris, juvenile, Bocas del Toro, Panama, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
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Holacanthus ciliaris
Holacanthus ciliaris
Holacanthus ciliaris
Holacanthus ciliaris
Holacanthus ciliaris

Distribution

Tropical Atlantic/Caribbean


Description

Blue to blue-grey with yellow rear edges of scales on sides, a bright yellow tail, dorsal and anal fins with bright blue margins and elongated rear margins ending in tips further back than tail fin and a bright blue spot at base of pectoral fin. Head with a blue edged black spot on nape containing numerous small blue spots, a broad blue margin on rear of gill cover, a large blue spine on cheek, blue blotch on lips, outer eye blue and iris yellow.


Information

Max Size: 45 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 17.6-31.1°C

Depth: 1-70m

Habitat Generalization Index: 8.1

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Least Concern

Occurrence: Frequent (15.7% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Solitary (1 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: Joe Shields