Holacanthus ciliaris
Queen angelfish
FISHBASE    
Holacanthus  ciliaris  (Linnaeus, 1758)  
Family:   Pomacanthidae (Angelfishes)
 
Order:   Perciformes  (perch-likes)
Class:   Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
FishBase name: Queen angelfish
Max. size:   45.0 cm Total Length (male/unsexed; Ref. 4858); max. published weight: 1,600 g (Ref. 26340)
Environment:   reef-associated; non-migratory; marine ; depth range 1 - 70 m
Climate: subtropical; 30°N - 13°S
Importance:   fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial
Resilience:   Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K and tmax.)
Distribution:  
Gazetteer
Western Atlantic: Florida, USA and Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. Also Caribbean, including Antilles and south American coast (Ref. 26938). Eastern Central Atlantic: St. Paul's Rocks (Ref. 13121).
Diagnosis:   Dorsal spines (total): 14-14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 19-21; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 20-21. Tail and pectoral fins entirely yellow. Black spot on forehead has electric blue spots and is surrounded by narrow, electric blue ring. Large blue spot at base of pectoral fin (Ref. 26938). Adults develop short spines on the margin. The color of large adults is purplish blue with yellow-orange rims to the scales; head above eye dark blue, below greenish yellow; mouth, chin, throat, chest and abdomen purplish blue (Ref. 13442)
Biology:   Found on coral reefs. Generally occurs solitarily or in pairs. Moves gracefully between seafans, seawhips, and corals (Ref. 9710). DIET: 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).
Red List Status: Not in IUCN Red List  , (Ref. 36508)  NOT ENDANGERED or THREATENED
Dangerous:   reports of ciguatera poisoning , Olsen, D.A., D.W. Nellis and R.S. Wood. 1984
Coordinator:    
Main Ref:   Allen, G.R.. 1985. (Ref. 4858)

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