Pacific creole-fish (Cephalopholis colonus)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from FishBase, occurrence map from GBIF, conservation from IUCN Red List, description from Wikipedia.
Last updated
Derek Keats · via Wikipedia: Cephalopholis colonus · CC BY 2.0
Cephalopholis colonus (the Pacific creolefish) is a species of grouper found in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. They are typically found in small aggregations well above reefs, but will retreat to the reef at the approach of danger.
They form large midwater schools while feeding on plankton. They occur up to a depth of 100 m. They feed mainly on small planktonic animals that are picked individually from the water, made possible by their shortened snout which facilitates close-range binocular vision.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumChordata
- ClassActinopterygii
- DivisionTeleostei
- OrderPerciformes
- FamilyEpinephelidae
- GenusCephalopholis
- SpeciesCephalopholis colonus
Named by (Valenciennes, 1846)
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Cephalopholis colonus (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 1750630 (CC BY 4.0)
Conservation status
Least Concern (LC)
- LC▲ this species
- NT
- VU
- EN
- CR
- EW
- EX
Source: IUCN Red List assessment · GBIF copy of the Red List category
How big is it?
Largest length in the source, 0.36 m, next to a 1.8 m person.
Diagram: drawn by Codexery, schematic shapes to scale (not a likeness). Length: FishBase species summary
Where the pacific creole-fish (cephalopholis colonus) has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (982 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 21 inland records left out (institution coordinates).
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain) · place coordinates: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Perciformes · Family: Epinephelidae · Genus: Cephalopholis.
Accepted name: Cephalopholis colonus · Authority: (Valenciennes, 1846) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 1750630.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Epinephelus colonus (Valenciennes, 1846); Paranthias colonus (Valenciennes, 1846); Paranthias pinguis Walford, 1936; Serranus colonus Valenciennes, 1846.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1750630 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Biology and life history (FishBase)
Measured values published by FishBase for Cephalopholis colonus. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 35.599998474121094 cm · Depth range: 10–70 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: fusiform / normal · Vulnerability index: 25.6 of 100 · Fishery importance: subsistence fisheries · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.
FishBase notes: Found typically in small aggregations well above the reef, but will retreat to the reef at the approach of danger. Feeds mainly on small planktonic animals picked individually from the water, made possible by their shortened snout which facilitates close-range binocular vision. Excellent source of bait (Ref. 9342).
Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 8325) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Cephalopholis-colonus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
982 georeferenced occurrence records for Cephalopholis colonus are published through GBIF from 7 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 83 distinct locations from a sample of 982 records, omitting 21 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: Ecuador (475); Mexico (274); Costa Rica (128); Panama (82); Colombia (13); Peru (7); France (2).
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 11999877) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=11999877&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1750630 (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 Cephalopholis colonus (Valenciennes, 1846) 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 132822) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/132822/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 11999877) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/11999877/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
From: The body of the Pacific creolefish is elongate, fusiform. The head is small, both profiles are convex. There are 37–44 rakers on the first gill arch.
Dorsal rays IX, 19–21; anal rays III, 9-11; pectoral rays 19–23. The tail fin is strongly concave. Pacific creolefish grow to ~36 cm.
Pacific creolefish young are often bright yellow with five small dark spots on back. The adults are greenish brown dorsally and reddish below, with five white or blue-white spots on the back. The fins are reddish.
Eastern Pacific: Gulf of California to Peru, including the Revillagigedo, Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos Island, and Malpelo islands.
As all fish species, the Pacific creolefish harbours a number of parasites, including, off Mexico, the digeneans Prodistomum orientalis, Brachyphallus sp., Lecithochirium sp., the nematodes Anisakis sp. and Spinitectus sp., the copepods Caligus sp., and the isopods Hatschekia sp. The diplectanid monogenean Pseudorhabdosynochus jeanloui was described in 2015 from this fish off Peru.
Source: Wikipedia: Cephalopholis colonus — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cephalopholis_colonus (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
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: Cephalopholis colonus (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Classification: the source article's taxobox; order, family and genus checked against WoRMS, the World Register of Marine Species (CC BY 4.0).
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List assessment.
- Occurrence records: GBIF (CC0 / CC BY). Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
- Biology values: FishBase species summary (CC BY-NC 3.0, non-commercial).
- Word definitions: the , each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced