Spotbreast angelfish (Genicanthus melanospilos)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Genicanthus melanospilos · Authority: (Bleeker, 1857) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 279093.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Genicanthus melanospilus (Bleeker, 1857); Genicanthus zebra (Lienard) Sauvage, 1891; Holacanthus melanospilos Bleeker, 1857.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=279093 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 18 cm · Depth range: 20–45 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: of no interest · Aquarium trade: commercial.

FishBase notes: Generally seen in pairs on steep outer reef slopes, drop-offs (Ref. 9710), in caves or along the bases of boulders (Ref.48636); in rich coral growth interspersed with sand (Ref. 37816). Usually occurs in loose groups of females dominated by a male. Sometimes feeds on plankton high above the substrate (Ref.48636).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 8710) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Genicanthus-melanospilos.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

320 georeferenced occurrence records for Genicanthus melanospilos are published through GBIF from 14 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 91 distinct locations from a sample of 320 records, omitting 11 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: Fiji (141); Australia (55); Philippines (26); New Caledonia (16); Indonesia (14); Papua New Guinea (14); Solomon Islands (12); Vanuatu (11); Japan (8); Palau (6); Timor-Leste (4); Tonga (4); Chinese Taipei (2); Egypt (1).

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2396471) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2396471&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=279093 (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 melanospilos (Bleeker, 1857) 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 165843) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/165843/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2396471) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2396471/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Genicanthus melanospilos shows sexual dichromatism, the males and females have differing colouration. The males have a background colour of bluish white on the body with many reddish black vertical stripes. Their dorsal, caudal and anal fins are marked with yellow spots and the caudal fin is light yellow with blue margins and has long filamentous lobes. They also have a sizeable black spot on the breast near the base of the pelvic fins.

In the females the dorsal half of the body is yellow, while ventrally it is bluish white, and the tail is bluish with a black stripe along its lower and upper margins. In both sexes the forked tail narrows at its base to create a "swallow tail". The dorsal fin contains 15 spines and 15-17 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

Genicanthus melanospilos is a widespread species which is found in the eastern Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It is found throughout the Malay Archipelago into the southwestern Pacific Ocean as Far East as Fiji, north as far as the Ryukyu Islands south to Australia. In Australian waters it is found in the Indian Ocean of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island, as well as the Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea and the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Cairns in Queensland.

Habitat and biology

Genicanthus melanospilos is found at depths between 20 and 80 m. It occurs in areas rich in coral on the outer slopes of reefs and drop-offs.

Adults are normally organised as small harems made up of a male and several females. They feed on zooplankton in the water over reefs. Like all other angelfish the spotbreast angelfish is a protogynous hermaphrodite, with all individuals being female initially and the dominant ones changing to males.

Systematics

Genicanthus melanospilos was first formally described in 1857 as Holocanthus melanospilos by the Dutch ichthyologist and herpetologist Pieter Bleeker (1819–1878) with the type locality given as Ambon Island in Indonesia. The specific name is a compound of melanos meaning "black" and spills meaning "spot", referring to the black spot on the male's chest.

Genicanthus melanospilos is common in the aquarium trade.

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