Angelfish

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Angelfish
Blue-headed angelfish (Pomacanthus xantometopon)

Blue-headed angelfish ( Pomacanthus xantometopon )

Systematics
Sub-cohort : Neoteleostei
Acanthomorphata
Spinefish (Acanthopterygii)
Perch relatives (Percomorphaceae)
Order : Surgeonfish (Acanthuriformes)
Family : Angelfish
Scientific name
Pomacanthidae
Cockerell , 1915

The angelfish (Pomacanthidae) are among the most colorful fish of all. They were previously considered to be a subfamily of the butterfly fish (Chaetodon). In the course of time, however, so many differences, including internal, morphological ones, have been found that they have been placed in a family of their own. There are over 85 types.

distribution

Angelfish live in the tropical areas of all oceans, nine species in the Atlantic , the others in the Indian Ocean and Pacific . They always live in the vicinity of coral or rock reefs .

Appearance

Angelfish are mostly very colored, high-backed animals with strongly flattened sides. Characteristic of the family is a strong, backward-pointing thorn, which they carry on the lower edge of the gill and which is often set off in color. This thorn is also the most certain distinguishing feature from the butterfly fish, which are often quite similar and never carry it. The length of the angelfish is between six and sixty centimeters.

Young angelfish are often colored completely differently. In this way, they can live in the territories of the ancients without being driven away, because adult angelfish display aggressive territorial behavior towards other species. The difference in color is so great that the young were thought to be separate species.

nutrition

Angelfish have very different feeding strategies. Some are generalists and use a wide range of foods from algae to small animals, others are specialists and only eat sponges or algae , for example . The smoked angelfish ( Apolemichthys ) feed almost exclusively on sponges, lyra angelfish ( Genicanthus ) on zooplankton and dwarf angelfish ( Centropyge ) prefer algae.

Young angelfish - in some regions, such as For example , adults in the waters around the Galapagos Islands often clean larger fish and eat the parasites off their skin.

behavior

Angelfish usually live in pairs or in small harem groups that consist of a male and several females. They have fixed territories in the reef that they defend against rivals . The territories for large angelfish can be over 1000 m², for dwarf angelfish they can also only comprise a single stony coral stock. The territories are vigorously defended against competitors. Angelfish of the genus Pomacanthus can produce clearly audible "pops".

Reproduction

Angelfish are proterogynous hermaphrodites . Sexually mature animals are initially female and later transform into males if necessary. All angelfish usually spawn in open water after a courtship ritual at sunset. Thousands of eggs are released in the process. The larvae hatch after a few hours, are very small, are held in suspension by a droplet of oil and have a large yolk sac that serves as a source of food for them in the first few days. In Hawaii , a breeder succeeded in breeding various species of pygmy angelfish ( Centropyge ) in the aquarium.

Genera

Emperor angelfish ( Pomacanthus imperator )

Phylogeny

The following cladogram shows the relationship between the genera and that Apolemichthys and Centropyge in their current composition are not monophyletic genera:

 Angelfish (Pomacanthidae) 









Xiphypops


   

Centropyge



   

Genicanthus



   

Apolemichthys



   

Paracentropyge



   

Centropyge



   


Centropyge narcosis


   

Centropyge colini



   

Apolemichthys arcuatus




   

Holacanthus



   

Pygoplites



   

Pomacanthus


   

Chaetodontoplus




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Humans and angelfish

Keeping in aquariums

Angelfish are kept in aquariums by marine aquarists. One should bear in mind, however, that the mostly very large fish can hardly be offered a species-appropriate, natural environment, as the territorial requirements of most species are simply far too great. An exception are the dwarf angelfish of the genus Centropyge , which are usually only 10–12 cm long and can be kept as a pair in a medium-sized aquarium . However, there is a risk that the angelfish will attack the corals .

Angelfish as food fish

In many countries in Africa and Asia angelfish, especially large adult specimens from the genus Pomacanthus , are eaten by humans.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. Jump up ↑ Warren E. Burgess: Evidence for the Elevation to Family Status of the Angelfishes (Pomacanthidae), Previously Considered to be a Subfamily of the Butterflyfish Family, Chaetodontidae . Pacific Science, Volume 28, January 1974
  2. ↑ Lauriane M. Baraf, Morgan S. Pratchett, Peter F. Cowman: Ancestral biogeography and ecology of marine angelfishes (F: Pomacanthidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, August 2019. doi: 10.1016 / j.ympev.2019.106596

Web links

Commons : Angelfish  - Collection of images, videos and audio files