Holacanthus ciliaris
Queen Angelfish
Collection Details
Specimens
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Pomacanthidae (Angelfishes)
Holacanthus
Holacanthus ciliaris (Queen Angelfish)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
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Characters
Subrhomboid in profile, deep bodied, and strongly compressed, with posterior corners of dorsal and anal fins filamentous. Dorsal profile of head is nearly straight from snout to center of eye and moderately convex from eye to origin of dorsal fin. Snout is blunt. Anterior naris has flap on posterior margin, and posterior naris is elongated. Margin of preorbital bone is serrated. Maxilla fails to reach anterior margin of orbit. Margin of preoperculum has a series of small spines on margin, with spines increasing slightly in size toward corner. Operculum has a very broad, triangular spine on margin. Gill rakers on first arch number 18 to 21. Measurements are expressed as percent of SL: head length 29%–33%, snout length 11%–13%, eye diameter 9%–10%, upper jaw length 7%–8%, pectoral fin length 24%–31%, body depth 53%–67%. Pectoral fin has 18 to 20 rays. Dorsal fin has 14 spines, with margin behind first 2 spines deeply incised, and 19 to 21 rays. Anal fin has 20 or 21 rays, and membrane between first 2 spines is deeply incised. Caudal fin is rounded. Lateral line extends to rear portion of dorsal fin and consists of 45 to 49 pored scales.
Color is deep blue to greenish, with an orange spot or triangle on each scale, a yellow to orange caudal fin, and a yellow pelvic fin. A blue-ringed black spot, speckled with blue pigment, is located on nape. Large black blotches are located on base of pectoral fin and on bases of posterior rays of dorsal and anal fins. Tips of dorsal and anal fin rays are orange. Juveniles are dark blue, with snout, chest, pectoral fin, and pelvic fin yellow. Four long bluish white bars occur on head and body, first three are curved, and last is straight.
Distribution
Western Atlantic from North Carolina and Bermuda to Brazil, including the northern and southern Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Antilles.
Northern Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
Shallow water to 60 m, associated with reefs or rocky areas (implied by association with coral reefs in general descriptions of the genus, though not directly stated in this account).
Biology
Found on coral reefs. Generally occurs solitarily or in pairs. Moves gracefully between seafans, seawhips, and corals (Ref. 9710). Stomach contents of 26 specimens indicate that the species feeds almost exclusively on sponges supplemented by small amounts of algae, tunicates, hydroids and bryozoans. Young pick ectoparasites from other fishes (Ref. 9710). Marketed fresh (Ref. 3797).
Max length: 45.0 cm TL; common length: 30.0 cm TL; max weight: 1600 g.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2009-10-08. Resilience: Low (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial.
References
Randall, J.E. (1967) Food habits of reef fishes of the West Indies. Stud. Trop. Oceanogr. Miami 5:665-847.
Thresher, R.E. (1984) Reproduction in reef fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Ltd., Neptune City, New Jersey. 399 p.
Allen, G.R. (1985) Butterfly and angelfishes of the world. Vol. 2. 3rd edit. in English. Mergus Publishers, Melle, Germany.
Feddern, H.A. (1968) Systematics and ecology of Western Atlantic angelfishes, family Chaetodontidae, with an analysis of hybridization in Holacanthus. Ph. D. dissertation, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida.
Lieske, E. and R. Myers (1994) Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific & Caribbean including the Red Sea. Haper Collins Publishers, 400 p.
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