Bluering angelfish (Pomacanthus annularis)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Acanthuriformes · Family: Pomacanthidae · Genus: Pomacanthus.

Accepted name: Pomacanthus annularis · Authority: (Bloch, 1787) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 220004.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Chaetodon annularis Bloch, 1787; Pomacanthodes annularis (Bloch, 1787).

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=220004 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

Measured values published by FishBase for Pomacanthus annularis. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Maximum length: 45 cm · Depth range: 1–60 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 35 of 100 · Fishery importance: of no interest · Aquarium trade: commercial.

FishBase notes: Inhabits coastal reefs to at least 30 m (Ref. 9710). Adults often found in pairs inside caves (Ref. 9710, 48636). Juveniles settle in very shallow inshore habitats with short filamentous algae growth on rock or dead coral substrates (Ref. 48636).

Feeds on sponges and tunicates (Ref. 48391). Undergoes a complete color transformation from the juvenile to adult stage. Regularly exported, e.g. from Sri Lanka, for the aquarium trade.

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 7902) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Pomacanthus-annularis.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

436 georeferenced occurrence records for Pomacanthus annularis are published through GBIF from 23 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 85 distinct locations from a sample of 436 records, omitting 18 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.

Most records by country or area: Thailand (162); Malaysia (103); India (50); Indonesia (33); Sri Lanka (29); Singapore (16); Myanmar (11); Bangladesh (7); Chinese Taipei (6); Cambodia (4); Mauritius (2); Philippines (2); Australia (1); Hong Kong (1); Kenya (1).

Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: Mozambican Exclusive Economic Zone; Florida; Chinese Exclusive Economic Zone.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2396404) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2396404&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=220004 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Pomacanthus annularis (Bloch, 1787) as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.

Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 165873) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/165873/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2396404) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2396404/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

The bluering angelfish can be found in the Indo-West Pacific oceans from East Africa, throughout Indonesia and New Guinea to New Caledonia, north to southern Japan.

Habitat

Bluering angelfishes inhabit coastal rocky coral reefs and may be also encountered in caves or on wrecks, at depths of 3 - 30 m.

Description

Bluering angelfish have adults which are mainly yellow with the body marked with obvious arcing blue lines and a blue circle shaped mark above the operculum. They frequently have an elongated tip to the dorsal fin and they have a white caudal fin with a yellow margin. They also have a pair of blue stripes across the face, one runs through the eye and the second is situated immediately beneath the eye.

The juveniles have a bluish-black overall colour with thin white to blue coloured curved lines on their body. The dorsal fin has 13 spines and 20–21 soft rays while the anal fin contains 3 spines and 20 soft rays. This species attains a maximum total length of 45 cm.

Biology and behavior

Bluering angelfishes are frequently encountered in pairs. Similarly to other species of the genus Pomacanthus these angelfishes live in harem, as the male defends a territory and controls a few females. After a courtship ritual males and females release eggs and sperm.

At the beginning of life all juveniles are females (sequential hermaphrodite), becoming males during the development, with a complete color variation from the juvenile to adult stage. Juveniles prefer very shallow waters with rock or dead coral substrates and short filamentous algae. Adults mainly feed on zooplankton, sponges, filamentous algae and tunicates.

Systematics

The bluering angelfish was first formally described in 1795 as Chaetodon tricolor by the German physician and naturalist Marcus Elieser Bloch (1723–1799) with the type locality given as the Indian Ocean. The species is placed by some authorities in the subgenus Acanthochaetodon,. The specific name of this species, annularis, means "ringed" which refers to the ring on the body above the gill cover.

Bluering angelfish are infrequently found in the aquarium trade.

Source: Wikipedia: Bluering angelfish — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluering_angelfish (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.