Marine Angelfish Codexery

Centropyge nahackyi

A vibrant pygmy angelfish from deep Hawaiian drop-offs.

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A small pygmy angelfish, Centropyge nahackyi (also referred to as Nahacky's angelfish), inhabits deeper drop-offs near Johnston Island and Hawaii.[1] Its bright, vivid coloration makes it highly sought after in the aquarium trade.[2]

Scientific classification

  1. KingdomAnimalia
  2. PhylumChordata
  3. ClassActinopterygii
  4. DivisionTeleostei
  5. OrderAcanthuriformes
  6. FamilyPomacanthidae
  7. GenusCentropyge
  8. SpeciesCentropyge nahackyi

Named by Kosaki, 1989

Close relatives

Other species of Centropyge with a Codexery entry.

Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Centropyge nahackyi (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 278844 (CC BY 4.0)

Conservation status

Near Threatened (NT)

  1. LC
  2. NT▲ this species
  3. VU
  4. EN
  5. CR
  6. EW
  7. EX
Population trend
Not held in our sources — see the assessment
Assessment published
2010

Source: IUCN Red List assessment · GBIF copy of the Red List category

Where the centropyge nahackyi has been recorded

Where the centropyge nahackyi has been recordedPlaces named in the text; marked places: Johnston Atoll, Hawaiian IslandsJohnston AtollHawaiian Islands

Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: Natural Earth basemap (public domain) · place coordinates: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Biology and range

A single specimen was discovered around the Hawaiian Islands, which could be a waif discovery or a stray occurrence.[3][4] The palate lacks any teeth.[5] A short, rounded tongue is present.[5] As the fish matures, the head profile, which resembles the "bispinosa" complex, develops a more concave area above the eyes.[5]

Deep reefs composed of eroded limestone are the primary habitat for Centropyge nahackyi.[4] This species occurs at depths ranging from 41 to 70 meters.[6]

What the specialist sources record

The same source states it is related to Centropyge multicolor of the Tropical Pacific.[7] The World Register of Marine Species records Centropyge nahackyi as an accepted species in the family Pomacanthidae, order Acanthuriformes, class Teleostei.[8] GBIF holds 16 occurrence records for this taxon as of 7 October 2026.[9] The marine life photography source states that Centropyge nahackyi is uncommon along steep dropoffs deeper than 100 feet at Johnston Island and is rarely seen in deep water on the Island of Hawaii.[7]

References

  1. Wikipedia, "Centropyge nahackyi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "Nahacky's Angelfish, Centropyge nahackyi", www.marinelifephotography.com (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
  2. Wikipedia, "Centropyge nahackyi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Gaither, "Evolution of pygmy angelfishes: Recent divergences, introgression, and the usefulness of color in taxonomy", Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, May 2014, p. 38–47 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  3. Wikipedia, "Centropyge nahackyi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Wagner, "Mesophotic surveys of the flora and fauna at Johnston Atoll, Central Pacific Ocean", Marine Biodiversity Records, January 2014 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  4. Wikipedia, "Centropyge nahackyi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Kosaki, "Centropyge nahackyi, a New Species of Angelfish from Johnston Atoll (Teleostei: Pomacanthidae)", Copeia, 1989-12-27, p. 880–886 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  5. Wikipedia, "Centropyge nahackyi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Kosaki, "Centropyge nahackyi, a New Species of Angelfish from Johnston Atoll (Teleostei: Pomacanthidae)", Copeia, 1989-12-27, p. 880–886; Pyle, R., Randall, J., Greenfield, D., Kay, E., Mundy, B., & Fletcher, C. (2003). A SYSTEMATIC TREATMENT OF THE REEF-FISH FAMILY POMACANTHIDAE (PISCES: PERCIFOR (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  6. Wikipedia, "Centropyge nahackyi" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Pyle, R., Randall, J., Greenfield, D., Kay, E., Mundy, B., & Fletcher, C. (2003). A SYSTEMATIC TREATMENT OF THE REEF-FISH FAMILY POMACANTHIDAE (PISCES: PERCIFOR (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
  7. "Nahacky's Angelfish, Centropyge nahackyi", www.marinelifephotography.com. facts only, no text reused. marinelifephotography.com
  8. World Register of Marine Species, Centropyge nahackyi (AphiaID 278844). CC BY 4.0. marinespecies.org
  9. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy and occurrence index, Centropyge nahackyi (taxon key 2396540). CC BY 4.0 (backbone); counts are facts. gbif.org

Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Centropyge nahackyi (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.

Related entries

Same family (Pomacanthidae)

Apolemichthys griffisi Apolemichthys griffisiApolemichthys xanthotis Apolemichthys xanthotisArabian angelfish Pomacanthus asfurBlackedged angelfish Genicanthus watanabeiChaetodontoplus caeruleopunctatus Chaetodontoplus caeruleopunctatus

Named in this entry

Centropyge

More in Marine Angelfish

Centropyge narcosisCentropyge noxOrangeback angelfishPeppermint angelfishCentropyge potteriCentropyge venustaResplendent pygmy angelfishCentropyge shepardiCentropyge tibicenTwospined angelfishCentropyge vrolikiiChaetodontoplus ballinae

Sources

Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.

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