Pomacanthus chrysurus
A western Indian Ocean angelfish with gold tail and ear-like spot.
The goldtail angelfish (Pomacanthus chrysurus), also called the earspot angelfish, is a marine ray-finned fish in the family Pomacanthidae. It lives in the western Indian Ocean.
Juveniles and adults of this species look more alike than most other Pomacanthus angelfish. Young fish have a blackish-brown body with many white vertical bars, and a paler, more orange face marked with uneven blue lines. Their tail fin is yellow, and once they reach about 4 cm long, a white bar appears on the tail stalk. Both young and adults have a black spot on the upper front part of the body. Adults differ from juveniles in having a darker face and no white bar on the tail stalk. The dorsal fin has 13–14 spines and 17–19 soft rays; the anal fin has 3 spines and 18–19 soft rays. The maximum total length is 33 cm.
This fish is found from the Gulf of Aden south along the East African coast to KwaZulu-Natal, including Madagascar, the Comoro Islands, and the Seychelles. It lives at depths of 1 to 30 meters on shallow coral or rocky reefs with rich coral growth. Adults eat mainly sponges, tunicates, crustaceans, and zooplankton, while juveniles, found in much shallower water, consume large amounts of algae. Otherwise, little is known about its biology.
The species was first formally described in 1831 by French anatomist Georges Cuvier as *Holocanthus flavissimus*, with the type locality given as Dorey Harbor, New Guinea—possibly an error for Madagascar. Some authorities place it in the subgenus *Acanthochaetodon*. The specific name *chrysurus* combines *chrysis* (“gold”) and *urus* (“tail”), referring to the yellow tail fin.
The goldtail angelfish is rarely collected for the aquarium trade and does not often reach the market; most commercially available specimens come from Kenya.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Pomacanthus chrysurus
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The goldtail angelfish shows more similarities between adults and juveniles than most other marine angelfishes in the genus Pomacanthus. Juveniles have blackish-brown bodies marked with many white vertical bars, a paler orangey face with uneven blue lines, and a yellow caudal fin. A white bar appears on the caudal peduncle when the fish reaches around 4 cm (1.6 in) in length. Both juveniles and adults have a black spot on the upper anterior portion of the body. Adults are similar but have a dark face and lack the white bar on the caudal peduncle.
The species was first formally described as Holocanthus flavissimus in 1831 by French anatomist Georges Cuvier, with the type locality given as Dorey Harbor, New Guinea, which could be an error for Madagascar. Some authorities place it in the subgenus Acanthochaetodon. Its specific name chrysurus combines chrysis meaning 'gold' and urus meaning 'tail', referencing the yellow caudal fin.
The goldtail angelfish is found in the western Indian Ocean from the Gulf of Aden south along the coast of Eastern Africa as far as KwaZulu Natal, including Madagascar, the Comoro Islands, and the Seychelles. It inhabits shallow reefs with rich coral growth or rocky reefs at depths between 1 and 30 metres. Adults feed mainly on sponges, tunicates, crustaceans, and zooplankton, while juveniles, found in much shallower water, consume large quantities of algae. The biology of this species is otherwise little known.
Reader's Guide
The goldtail angelfish is infrequently collected for the aquarium trade and does not often make it to market; most commercially available specimens originate from Kenya. Its limited availability and the close resemblance between juveniles and adults make it a less common but distinctive species among marine angelfish enthusiasts. The species' biology remains little known, with only basic details on its diet and depth range documented. The uncertainty surrounding its type locality—possibly an error for Madagascar—adds a layer of historical ambiguity to its taxonomic record. Despite its rarity in trade, the goldtail angelfish is a recognized member of the Pomacanthidae family in the western Indian Ocean, valued for its unique coloration and the persistent black spot that marks both life stages.
Did You Know?
- The goldtail angelfish is also known as the earspot angelfish.
- Juveniles develop a white bar on the caudal peduncle when they reach about 4 cm (1.6 in) in length.
- The type locality given by Georges Cuvier (Dorey Harbor, New Guinea) could be an error for Madagascar.
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