Zebra angelfish (Genicanthus caudovittatus)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Genicanthus caudovittatus · Authority: (Günther, 1860) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 211794.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Centropyge caudovittatus (Günther, 1860); Genicanthus caudibicolor (Sauvage, 1891); Holacanthus caudibicolor Sauvage, 1891; Holacanthus caudovittatus Günther, 1860; Holacanthus zebra Sauvage, 1891.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=211794 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 20 cm · Depth range: 2–70 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: fusiform / normal · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: commercial.

FishBase notes: Inhabits shallow waters in the Red Sea; deeper in the Andaman Sea, usually at depths of 40 m or more. Caudal fin tips very long (Ref. 48636). A single male is usually seen with several females, commonly on steep slopes. Feeds on planktonic food several meters above the bottom.

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 11132) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Genicanthus-caudovittatus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

266 georeferenced occurrence records for Genicanthus caudovittatus are published through GBIF from 13 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 45 distinct locations from a sample of 266 records, omitting 3 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: Egypt (190); Saudi Arabia (21); South Africa (14); Jordan (10); Réunion (9); Israel (7); Mayotte (5); Comoros (2); Mauritius (2); Mozambique (2); Sudan (2); Indonesia (1); Philippines (1).

Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: Kenyan Exclusive Economic Zone; Mozambican Exclusive Economic Zone; Mauritian Exclusive Economic Zone; Madagascar; Red Sea; South Africa (country); Réunion Exclusive Economic Zone.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2396458) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2396458&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=211794 (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 Genicanthus caudovittatus (Günther, 1860) 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 165845) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/165845/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2396458) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2396458/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Genicanthus caudovittatus shows sexual dichromatism, the males and females have differing colouration. The males are whitish-blue marked with vertical dark brown barring and a black band running along the middle of the dorsal fin base. The females are pale pinkish grey with a black band over the eye and a black band on the upper and lower margins of the caudal fin.

Both sexes have a markedly forked caudal fin. The dorsal fin contains 15 spines and 15–17 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 17–19 soft rays. This species attains a maximum total length of 20 cm.

Genicanthus caudovittatus is distributed in western Indian Ocean where it occurs along the eastern coast of Africa from the Red Sea in the north to KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, east to Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, and Réunion. It has also been recorded from Weh Island off northwestern Sumatra.

Genicanthus caudovittatus is found at depths between 15 and 70 m. In the Red Sea it can be found in shallower water than in the Andaman Sea. It can be found on steep outer reef slopes where it lives in small groups made up of a male and a few females. It feeds on plankton. Juveniles live at greater depth than the adults.

Genicanthus caudovittatus was first formally described in 1860 as Holocanthus caudovittatus by the German-born British ichthyologist and herpetologist Albert Günther (1830–1914) with the type locality given as Mauritius. The specific name is a compound of caudus meaning "tail" and vittatus meaning "banded", referring to the black markings on the tail.

Genicanthus caudovittatus occasionally appears in the aquarium trade.

Source: Wikipedia: Genicanthus caudovittatus — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genicanthus_caudovittatus (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.