Vermiculate angelfish (Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus · Authority: (Bloch, 1787) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 280121.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Chaetodon mesoleucus Bloch, 1787; Chaetodontoplus mesoleucos (Bloch, 1787).

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=280121 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 18 cm · Depth range: 1–20 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: minor commercial · Aquarium trade: commercial.

FishBase notes: Inhabits continental shelf reefs; not usually found around oceanic islands (Ref. 9710). Feeds on sponges, tunicates, and filamentous algae (Ref. 9710).

Forms small groups. Frequently exported through the aquarium trade (Ref. 48391). Very close to Chaetodontoplus poliourus Randall & Rocha, 2009 with different colors on pelvic, dorsal and caudal fins. The two species coexist in several islands of Indonesia (Ref. 82330) including Lesser Sunda Islands, Molucca Islands, Halmahera, and Bird's Head Peninsula of West Papua (Ref. 90102).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 5660) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Chaetodontoplus-mesoleucus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

774 georeferenced occurrence records for Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus are published through GBIF from 13 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 115 distinct locations from a sample of 774 records, omitting 26 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: Indonesia (306); Philippines (173); Australia (126); Malaysia (87); Solomon Islands (17); Japan (14); Palau (14); Papua New Guinea (13); Singapore (9); Viet Nam (8); South Africa (4); Chinese Taipei (2); Hong Kong (1).

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2396593) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2396593&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=280121 (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 Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus (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 165884) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/165884/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2396593) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2396593/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus has blue lips contrasting with its yellow face. There is a black vertical band which runs through the eye. The body has a cinereous area to the rear of the head this shades into a more sizeable black area, which is marked all over with a pattern of yellow speckling. The caudal fin is yellow and the dorsal and anal fins have a vivid blue margin.

The pelvic fins are white. The dorsal fin contains 12 spines and 17-18 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 17-18 soft rays. This species attains a maximum total length of 18 cm.

Distribution

Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus is found in the western Indo-Pacific region. The northernmost part of its range is in southern Japan south through Indonesia west as far as the Mentawai Islands and east to the Bird's Head Peninsula of New Guinea, and south as far northern Australia. Its Australian distribution runs from the reefs off the Kimberley Region of Western Australia south to Varanus Island, as well as the Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea.

Habitat and biology

Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus is found at depths between 1 and 30 m. This species lives in reefs on the continental shelf and is rare around oceanic islands. It prefers areas where there is a rich growth of coral in silty inner coastal reefs and lagoons. Its diet comprises sponges, tunicates, and filamentous algae.

It is normally encountered in small groups. When alarmed they hide among the coral. Like all other angelfish it is a protogynous hermaphrodite, with all individuals being female initially and the dominant ones changing to males.

Systematics

Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus was first formally described in 1787 by the German naturalist Marcus Elieser Bloch (1723–1799) with the type locality given as Japan. The specific name is a compound of mesos meaning "middle" and leucus meaning "white" which Bloch did not explain, it may refer to how the white front half of body shades into the black rear half in the middle of the flanks. Chaetodontoplus poliourus was formerly considered to be conspecific with this species but it has yellow margined grey caudal fin, yellow pelvic fins and a paler yellow dorsal fin margin.

Utlisation

Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus is exported for use in aquariums, and is one of the most popular aquarium species.

Source: Wikipedia: Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaetodontoplus_mesoleucus (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.