Abe's angelfish (Centropyge abei)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Centropyge abei · Authority: Allen, Young & Colin, 2006 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 389843.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=389843 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 9.079999923706055 cm · Depth range: 110–155 m · Habitat zone: demersal · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.

FishBase notes: Found over bottom that is primarily composed of variably sized rubble, with temperature 20-21°C (Ref. 77035).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 64214) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Centropyge-abei.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Centropyge abei Allen, Young & Colin 2006 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 169679) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/169679/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2396523) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2396523/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Centropyge abei has a high, flattened dorsal fin, longer and less arched than this of the other pygmy angelfish of the genus Centropyge, other than C. colini. Another characteristic shared between this species and C. colini is the small face with the large eyes set quite far forward. Both C. abei and C. colini are found in relatively deep water.

The overall colour of the body is yellow with the upper third of back, the dorsal fin, and the upper part of head being black. There is a wide white bar immediately in front of the origin of the dorsal fin and this reaches at least as far as the upper edge of the gill cover. The caudal fin and the caudal peduncle are white.

Juveniles are less distinctly marked and may have a white tail stripe. The dorsal fin contains 13 spines and 17 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 18 soft rays. This species attains a maximum total length of 9.1 cm.

Distribution

Centropyge abei is found in the Western Pacific Ocean off northern Sulawesi, Palau, southern Japan and on Holmes Reef in the Coral Sea off Queensland.

Habitat and biology

Centropyge abei occurs at depths of 5 to 155 m over substrates consisting primarily of variably sized rubble, at temperatures of 20 - 21 °C. It is also found on outer reef slopes, drop offs and in caves.

Systematics

Centropyge abei was first formally described in 2006 by Gerald Allen, Forrest Young and Patrick L. Colin with the type locality given as the southeast side of Manado Tua, on Sulawesi. The specific name honours the director of the Japanese public aquarium Aquamarine Fukushima, Yoshitaka Abe, which funded the expedition on which the type was collected. Within the genus Centropyge it appears to be closest to C. colini, both species sharing adaptations for life on deeper reefs than their congeners. other authorities react this species as incertae sedis within the genus.

Source: Wikipedia: Centropyge abei — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centropyge_abei (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.