Pomacanthus xanthometopon
A marine angelfish with a striking yellow and blue face.
The blueface angelfish, also called the yellowface angelfish, is a marine angelfish from the family Pomacanthidae. It lives in shallow waters of the Indo-Pacific and is known for its vivid facial colors.
Dutch scientist Pieter Bleeker first described this species in 1853, naming it *Holocanthus xanthometopon* based on a specimen from Telok Betong, Sumatra. Some experts place it in the subgenus *Euxiphipops*. Its scientific name means "yellow forehead," referring to the yellow band across its eyes.
This fish inhabits coral reefs in the eastern tropical Indo-Pacific, from the Maldives and Malaysia to Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, northern Australia, and Micronesia. It has occasionally been seen off Florida. It prefers lagoons, outer reef slopes, and channels down to about 25 meters deep, often among rocks or near caves. Juveniles frequently hide inside caves.
Adults reach up to 38 centimeters in length and have a laterally compressed body. Their mouth sits just above the snout tip. The large, rounded fins are yellow with blue edges. The dorsal fin, located just before the tail, has a black eyespot at its base and contains 13–14 spines and 16–18 soft rays. The anal fin has 3 spines and 16–18 soft rays. Scales are pale blue with yellow edges, creating a reticulated pattern. The face is yellow with a dense network of bright blue lines on the lower half and a plain yellow mask around the eyes. Juveniles look very different, with six vertical white bars separated by pale blue lines and a tail fin barred in two shades of blue. They gradually change color once they reach 7 to 12 centimeters in length. This species can be mistaken for the queen angelfish or the blue angelfish, but both of those have entirely blue faces and lack the tail eyespot.
Blueface angelfish usually live alone or in pairs. They eat tunicates, sponges, other encrusting organisms, and algae. They lay eggs, scattering them on the seabed. The IUCN lists the yellowface angelfish as least concern, as it is common across most of its wide range and faces no major threats.
This fish is uncommon in the aquarium trade. When available, specimens usually come from dealers in the Philippines and Singapore.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Pomacanthus xanthometopon
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Pomacanthus xanthometopon was first formally described in 1853 as Holocanthus xanthometopon by the Dutch ichthyologist and herpetologist Pieter Bleeker (1819–1878) with the type locality given as Telok betong, Sumatra in Indonesia. The species is placed by some authorities in the subgenus Euxiphipops. The specific name xantometopon means 'yellow forehead', a reference to the yellow 'mask' across its eyes.
The fish grows to a maximum length of 38 centimetres and is laterally compressed. The mouth is just above the tip of the snout. The fins are large and rounded and are yellow, some edged with blue round the margins. The dorsal fin has a distinctive black eyespot at the base. The scales are pale blue edged with yellow giving a reticulated pattern. The face is yellow with a dense network of brilliant blue lines on the bottom half and a plain yellow mask around the eyes. Juveniles are quite differently coloured with 6 vertical white bars separated by pale blue lines and a caudal fin barred in 2 shades of blue. Juveniles change colour gradually after reaching a length of 7 to 12 centimetres. This species can be confused with the queen angelfish or the blue angelfish, but both these have a completely blue face and lack the caudal eyespot.
Reader's Guide
Pomacanthus xanthometopon is found on coral reefs in the eastern part of the tropical Indo-Pacific, including the Maldive Islands, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, northern Australia and Micronesia. It has occasionally been observed off the coast of Florida. It favours lagoons, outer reef slopes and channels at depths down to about 25 metres and is often found among rocks and near caves. Juveniles frequently live inside caves. The species usually lives singly or in pairs and feeds on tunicates, sponges, other encrusting organisms and algae. It is an egg-laying species and scatters its eggs on the seabed. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species considers the yellowface angelfish of least concern because it is common over most of its wide range and has no major threats. It is uncommon in the aquarium trade; those specimens which make their way into that trade are usually traded through dealers in the Philippines and Singapore.
More in Marine Angelfish, Part 3 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced