Goldtail angelfish (Pomacanthus chrysurus)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Pomacanthus chrysurus · Authority: (Cuvier, 1831) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 220006.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Holacanthus chrysurus Cuvier, 1831; Pomacanthodes chrysurus (Cuvier, 1831); Pomacanthodes rodriquesi von Bonde, 1934.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=220006 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 33 cm · Depth range: 1–25 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 30.3 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: commercial.

FishBase notes: Inhabits coral-rich reefs (Ref. 9710). Seldom seen in the aquarium trade.

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 11209) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Pomacanthus-chrysurus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

73 georeferenced occurrence records for Pomacanthus chrysurus are published through GBIF from 11 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 20 distinct locations from a sample of 73 records, omitting 12 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: Kenya (23); Madagascar (12); Mozambique (10); French Southern Territories (7); Seychelles (5); Tanzania, United Republic of (5); Mayotte (5); Philippines (2); South Africa (2); Eritrea (1); Singapore (1).

Marine regions with a valid WoRMS distribution record: Kenyan Exclusive Economic Zone; Tanzanian Exclusive Economic Zone; Somali Exclusive Economic Zone; Seychellois Exclusive Economic Zone; Djiboutian Exclusive Economic Zone; South Africa (country); Mozambican Exclusive Economic Zone.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2396393) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2396393&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=220006 (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 Pomacanthus chrysurus (Cuvier, 1831) 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 165831) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/165831/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2396393) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2396393/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

The goldtail angelfish shows more similarities between the adults and the juveniles than most other marine angelfishes in the genus Pomacanthus. The juveniles have blackish-brown bodies marked with many white vertical bars. The face is paler, more orangey than the body and is marked with uneven blue lines. They have a yellow caudal fin which develops a white bar on the caudal peduncle when the fish reaches around 4 cm in length.

Both juveniles and adults have a black spot on the upper anterior portion of the body. The adults are similar to the juveniles, the differences being that they have a dark face and no white bar on the caudal peduncle. The dorsal fin has 13–14 spines and 17–19 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 18–19 soft rays. This species attains a maximum total length of 33 cm.

Distribution

The goldtail angelfish is found in the western Indian Ocean from the Gulf of Aden south along the coast of Eastern Africa as far as KwaZulu Natal. Its range includes Madagascar, the Comoro Islands and the Seychelles.

Habitat and biology

The goldtail angelfish is found at depths of between 1 and 30 m on shallow reefs which have rich growths of coral, or rocky reefs. The adults' diet is dominated by sponges, tunicates, crustaceans, and zooplankton while the juveniles, who are found in much shallower water consume large quantities of algae. The biology of this species is otherwise little known.

Systematics

The goldtail angelfish was first formally described as Holocanthus flavissimus in 1831 by the French anatomist Georges Cuvier (1769–1832) with the type locality given as Dorey Harbor, New Guinea, which could be an error for Madagascar. Some authorities place this species in the subgenus Acanthochaetodon. The specific name chrysurus is this compound of chrysis meaning "gold" and urus meaning "tail", a reference to the yellow caudal fin.

Utilisation

The goldtail angelfish is infrequently collected for the aquarium trade but does not often make it on to the market. Most commercially available specimens originate from Kenya.

Source: Wikipedia: Goldtail angelfish — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldtail_angelfish (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.