Golden Angelfish, Centropyge aurantia Randall & Wass 1974


Other Names: Golden Pygmy-angelfish

A Golden Angelfish, Centropyge aurantia, in Fiji, May 2017. Source: Mark Rosenstein / iNaturalist.org. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

Summary:
A reddish-orange pygmy angelfish with many narrow wavy golden bars on the sides, several dark submarginal bands on the dorsal, caudal and anal fins, and a dark bluish ring around the eye.
The Golden Angelfish is rare in Australian waters.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2020, Centropyge aurantia in Fishes of Australia, accessed 28 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/2498

Golden Angelfish, Centropyge aurantia Randall & Wass 1974

More Info


Distribution

Recorded in the Australian region from Carter Reef, Queensland. Elsewhere, the sepcies is widespread in the Western Pacific from eastern Indonesia to American Samoa.

This extremely cryptic angelfish inhabits rubble and coral rich areas, often with abundant encrusting sponges in crevices and caves.

Feeding

Omnivore - feeds on filamentous and micro algae, detritus, and small benthic invertebrates.

Fisheries

Rarely collected for the aquarium fish trade.

Similar Species

Centropyge aurantia is the only species in the genus with dark submarginal bands on the anal fin.

Species Citation

Centropyge aurantius Randall, & Wass, 1974, Japan. J. Ichthyol 21(3): 140. Type locality: Samoa.

Author

Bray, D.J. 2020

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Golden Angelfish, Centropyge aurantia Randall & Wass 1974

References


Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.

Allen, G.R., Steene, R. & Allen, M. 1998. A Guide to Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes. Cairns : Odyssey Publishing/Tropical Reef Research 250 pp. figs.

Gaither, M.R., Schultz, J.K., Bellwood, D.R., Pyle, R.L., DiBattista, J.D., Rocha, L.A. & Bowen, B.W. 2014. Evolution of pygmy angelfishes: recent divergences, introgression, and the usefulness of color in taxonomy. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 74: 38-47 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2014.01.017

Kuiter, R.H. 1992. Tropical Reef-Fishes of the Western Pacific, Indonesia and Adjacent Waters. Jakarta : PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama 314 pp. pls.

Kuiter, R.H., Debelius, H. & Tanaka, H. 2003. Pomacanthidae, a Comprehensive Guide to Angelfishes. Melbourne : Zoonetics 206 pp.

Lieske, E. & Myers, R. 1994. Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific and Caribbean including the Red Sea. Harper Collins Publishers.

Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian reef fishes: a comprehensive guide to the coral reef fishes of Micronesia. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam.

Pyle, R. 2001. Chaetodontidae, Pomacanthidae. pp. 3224-3286 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 5 2791-3379 pp.

Pyle, R. & Myers, R. 2010. Centropyge aurantia . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010: e.T165893A6159207. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T165893A6159207.en. Downloaded on 14 January 2020.

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs.

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs.

Randall, J.E. & Wass, R.C. 1974. Two new pomacanthid fishes of the genus Centropyge from Oceania. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology 21(3): 137-144 figs 1-2

Steene, R.C. 1978. Butterfly and Angelfishes of the World. Australia. Sydney : A.H. & A.W. Reed Vol. 1 144 pp. 216 figs.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37365021

Biology:Capable of changing sex

Conservation:IUCN Least Concern

Depth:3-60 m

Fishing:Aquarium fish (rare)

Habitat:Reef associated

Max Size:10 cm TL

Species Image Gallery

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map