Pygoplites diacanthus

Pygoplites diacanthus (*)

Life-forms

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Superclassis/Classis: Actinopterygii
Classis/Subclassis: Actinopteri
Subclassis/Infraclassis: Neopterygii
Infraclassis: Teleostei
Megacohors: Osteoglossocephalai
Supercohors: Clupeocephala
Cohors: Euteleosteomorpha
Subcohors: Neoteleostei
Infracohors: Eurypterygia
Sectio: Ctenosquamata
Subsectio: Acanthomorphata
Divisio/Superordo: Acanthopterygii
Subdivisio: Percomorphaceae
Series: Eupercaria
Ordo: Perciformes
Subordo: Percoidei
Superfamilia: Percoidea

Familia: Pomacanthidae
Genus: Pygoplites
Species: Pygoplites diacanthus
Name

Pygoplites diacanthus (Boddaert, 1772)

Type locality: Amboina [Ambon Bay, Ambon Island, Moluccas/Maluku, Indonesia, Banda Sea]

Holotype: MJAS (whereabouts unknown)
Synonyms

Chaetodon boddaerti Gmelin, 1789
Chaetodon diacanthus Boddaert, 1772
Chaetodon diacanthus Walbaum, 1792
Chaetodon dux Gmelin, 1789
Chaetodon fasciatus Bloch, 1787
Holacanthus diacanthus (Boddaert, 1772)
Pygoplites boddaerti (Gmelin, 1789)
Pygoplites dux (Gmelin, 1789)

References

Boddaert, P. 1772: Van den Tweedornigen Klipfisch. De Chaetodonte diacantho descripto atque accuratissima icone illustrata. M. Magérus, Amsterdam. 1 pl.: 43 pp.
Coleman, R.R., Eble, J.A., DiBattista, J.D., Rocha, L.A., Randall, J.E., Berumen, M.L. & Bowen, B.W. 2016. Regal phylogeography: Range-wide survey of the marine angelfish Pygoplites diacanthus reveals evolutionary partitions between the Red Sea, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 100: 243–253. DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2016.04.005 Reference page.
Fraser-Brunner, A. 1933: A revision of the chaetodont fishes of the subfamily Pomacanthinae. Proceedings of the General Meetings for Scientific Business of the Zoological Society of London 1933 pt. 3 (30): 543–599, Pl. 1. DOI: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.1933.tb01608.x

Links

Pygoplites diacanthus – Taxon details on Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).
Pygoplites diacanthus in the World Register of Marine Species
Pygoplites diacanthus in FishBase,
Froese, R. & Pauly, D. (eds.) 2024. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication, www.fishbase.org, version 02/2024.
Pygoplites diacanthus in Catalog of Fishes, Eschmeyer, W.N., Fricke, R. & van der Laan, R. (eds.) 2024. Catalog of Fishes electronic version.

Vernacular names
Afrikaans: Koninklike engelvis
Deutsch: Pfauen-Kaiserfisch
ދިވެހިބަސް: ކުލަ ކޮކާމަސ
English: Royal angelfish
español: Pez ángel real
suomi: Kirjokeisarikala
Nederlands: Pauwoogkeizersvis
русский: Королевский ангел
ไทย: ปลาสินสมุทรบั้งเหลือง
中文: 甲尻鱼

The royal angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus), or regal angelfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae, and the monotypic genus Pygoplites. It is found in tropical Indo-Pacific oceans. It can grow as long as 25 cm (9.8 in).
Description

The body of the royal angelfish is moderately elongate and is very compressed. The preorbital bone is convex and has no strong spines. There is 1 prominent spine at an angle at the preopercal. The ventral edge of the interopercle is smooth. The eyes are moderately small along with the mouth that is terminal. The mouth is also protractile.[3] They have a maximum length of 25.0 cm (9.8 in).[2] They have a total of 14 dorsal spines, and 17–19 soft dorsal rays. They have 3 anal spines and 17–19 anal soft rays. They also have 16–17 pectoral fin rays.[4] Their caudal fin is rounded. The precise coloration of this fish can vary as regional differences can occur, most notably in populations from the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, and South Pacific Ocean. A commonality, however, is a body edged in narrow blue-white and orange stripes that are narrow and angle backward. The posterior portion of dorsal fin is black or blue with close-set blue dots, and the posterior portion of anal fin has alternating yellow and blue bands running parallel to body contour. The caudal fin is yellow. Juveniles are colored with a large dark spot on basal portion of the soft dorsal fin.[3] They have been reported of living 15 years.[2]

Recent research indicates that the Pygoplites comprises two morphs, with the variants potentially hybridizing at Christmas Island.[4]

Distribution

The royal angelfish is widely distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific.[4] The species can be found in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean around East Africa and the Maldives, stretching to the Tuamoto Islands, New Caledonia, and Great Barrier Reef.[2] The northernmost limits of its range ends in the southern East China Sea around Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands and Ogasawara Islands of Japan.[2]
Ecology

The royal angelfish occurs at depths ranging from 0 to 80 m (0 to 262 ft), in coral rich areas of lagoons, reefs, and are also often found in the vicinity of caves.[3] It is a carnivorous species that feeds on sponges and tunicates located throughout reefs and underwater caves.[4] They are a non-migratory species that can be found solitary, in pairs, or groups.[3] The juveniles usually shelter in cracks and crevices.[4]
A print from the University of Amsterdam
History

The royal angelfish was first formally described in 1772 by the Dutch naturalist Pieter Boddaert, it has been the subject of 18th and 19th century zoological art.[4]
Human uses

The royal angelfish is considered to be harmless to humans, and has minor commercial use in the aquarium industry.[4] It is valued by aquarium hobbyists for being one of the few "reef safe" angelfish as its diet is composed primarily of sponges, and does not include corals.[4]
In the aquarium

The royal angelfish can be challenging to keep in captivity, a healthy specimen that is given the right environment will likely start feeding within days when fed a variety of live, frozen, and flake or freeze-dried foods to entice satiety. A hostile environment will directly counter acclimation and feeding efforts. As such, large angelfish, triggerfish, puffers, as well some overly aggressive clownfish and surgeonfish should be avoided.
Reproduction

Royal angelfish reproduce by spawning, spawning usually happens at dusk or at night. They then act in a spiraling dance before the eggs and sperm are released into the upper water column.
References

Pyle, R.; Myers, R.F.; Rocha, L.A.; Craig, M.T. (2010). "Pygoplites diacanthus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T165885A6157224. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T165885A6157224.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Pygoplites diacanthus" in FishBase. December 2019 version.
"Pygoplites diacanthus - Regal Angelfish -- Discover Life". www.discoverlife.org. Retrieved 2017-04-27.

"Pygoplites diacanthus". fishesofaustralia.net.au. Retrieved 2017-04-27.

[1]

"Ygoplites Diacanthus (Regal Angelfish, Royal Empress Angelfish)." Pygoplites Diacanthus, www.malawicichlidhomepage.com/other/pygoplites_diacanthus.html.