Pomacanthus
A genus of marine angelfish with prominent opercular spines.
Last updated
NasserHalaweh · CC BY-SA 4.0
Pomacanthus is a genus of marine angelfish, the name deriving from Ancient Greek poma meaning 'cover' and ákantha meaning 'spine'. These vari-coloured fish are usually found around reefs and coral, with notable locations including the Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Sipidan off the southern coast of Sabah, Malaysia. Their patterns and colors undergo a major transformation from juvenile to adult forms, with juveniles sometimes appearing to be a different species.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumChordata
- ClassActinopterygii
- DivisionTeleostei
- OrderAcanthuriformes
- FamilyPomacanthidae
- GenusPomacanthus
Named by Lacépède, 1802
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Pomacanthus (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Quick Facts
- Type species
- Chaetodon arcuatus
Facts from the source article.
Background
The genus Pomacanthus was created in 1802 by the French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède, with the type species designated as Chaetodon arcuatus. The name is a compound of poma meaning 'lid' and acanthus meaning 'thorn', referencing the prominent spine on the rear margin of the operculum, a feature shared by all marine angelfishes. Some authorities divide the genus into subgenera: Pomacanthus, Acanthochaetodon, Arusetta, and Euxiphipops.
More in Marine Angelfish
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.
- Wikipedia: Pomacanthus (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Word definitions: the Codexery glossary, each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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