Blue angelfish
A western Atlantic angelfish that hybridizes with the queen angelfish.
The blue angelfish, also called the Bermuda blue angelfish, is a ray-finned marine fish in the family Pomacanthidae. Its scientific name is *Holacanthus bermudensis*, and it lives in the western Atlantic Ocean.
American ichthyologist George Brown Goode first described it in 1876 as a subspecies of *Holacanthus ciliaris*. The original type specimens came from Bermuda, but these were later replaced by a neotype—the holotype of a species called *Angelichthys isabelita*, which had been described by David Starr Jordan and Cloudsley Louis Ritter from Key West, Florida. This change is listed in the Official List of Specific Names in Zoology. The blue angelfish often hybridizes with the queen angelfish, a related species that shares its range. *Holacanthus isabelita* was once thought to be a separate species but is now considered a synonym of *H. bermudensis*.
The fish has a deep, oval body that is strongly flattened from side to side. Its snout is short, and its small mouth contains tiny, brush-like teeth. Juveniles are yellowish on the front half and brownish-yellow on the rear, with bright yellow fins on the tail, chest, and belly. They also have several vertical white bars on the body, and the dorsal and anal fins have bright blue edges. Adults have a bluish-yellow body and a vivid yellow face, with blue highlights on the chest and forehead. Their pectoral fins are blue and yellow, and the tail fin has yellow edges. The dorsal and anal fins also have yellow margins and long, yellow streamers. The dorsal fin has 15 spines and 19 to 21 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 20 to 21 soft rays. The maximum total length is 45 centimeters.
This species lives in the western Atlantic from North Carolina to Bermuda, the Bahamas, Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and as far west as Yucatán, Mexico, and east to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. It is a bottom-dwelling fish, staying close to the seabed where there are sponges, coral, or rocks, at depths between 2 and 93 meters. It is active during the day and hides in the reef at night. Juveniles prefer sheltered areas like bays, channels, and inshore reefs. The diet consists mostly of sponges, though it occasionally eats tunicates, corals, and algae. Juveniles act as cleaner fish, feeding on ectoparasites from other fish at cleaning stations.
Quick Facts
- Genus
- Holacanthus
- Species
- bermudensis
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Holacanthus bermudensis was first formally described in 1876 by American ichthyologist George Brown Goode as a subspecies of Holacanthus ciliaris. The original type specimens from Bermuda were later replaced by a neotype, which was the holotype of Angelichthys isabelita described by David Starr Jordan and Cloudsley Louis Ritter from Key West, Florida. This species frequently hybridises with the sympatric queen angelfish (Holacanthus ciliaris). H. isabelita was formerly considered a separate species but is now regarded as a synonym of H. bermudensis.
Juveniles are yellowish anteriorly, changing to brownish-yellow halfway along, with vivid yellow fins and vertical white bars on the body. Adults are bluish yellowish with a vivid yellow face, blue highlights on the chest and forehead, and yellow margins on the fins. The dorsal and anal fins have long yellow streamers. This species attains a maximum total length of 45 cm.
It is a benthic, diurnal species found from North Carolina to Bermuda, the Bahamas, Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, Yucatan, and east to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Its diet consists largely of sponges, occasionally tunicates, corals, and algae. Juveniles act as cleaner fish, feeding on ectoparasites from other fish, and can produce loud thumping sounds thought to startle predators.
Reader's Guide
Holacanthus bermudensis is not commercially important but is common in the aquarium trade. Its significance lies in its ecological role as a benthic sponge feeder and as a cleaner fish in its juvenile stage, where it establishes cleaning stations and defends territories. The species is also notable for its frequent hybridization with the queen angelfish, a phenomenon documented in the wild. Its taxonomy has been subject to revision, with the former species Angelichthys isabelita now considered a synonym. The species is monogamous, with pairs remaining together year-round, and females can lay up to 10 million eggs per spawning season. The eggs hatch in 15–20 hours, and juveniles settle on the seabed 3–4 weeks after hatching. The vivid contrasting colors of juveniles are thought to signal the presence of a cleaning station to potential clients. The species' ability to produce loud thumping sounds adds to its behavioral repertoire, likely serving as a predator deterrent or communication signal.
Did You Know?
- Holacanthus bermudensis was first described in 1876 by George Brown Goode as a subspecies of Holacanthus ciliaris.
- Females may lay up to 10 million eggs in each spawning season.
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