Japanese angelfish (Centropyge interrupta)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Centropyge interrupta · Authority: (Tanaka, 1918) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 712745.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Angelichthys interruptus Tanaka, 1918; Centropyge interruptus (Tanaka, 1918).

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=712745 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 15 cm · Depth range: 12–60 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: commercial.

FishBase notes: Inhabits rocky and coral reefs (Ref. 9710). Oviparous (Ref. 240), monogamous (Ref. 52884).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 10990) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Centropyge-interrupta.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

42 georeferenced occurrence records for Centropyge interrupta are published through GBIF from 3 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 9 distinct locations from a sample of 42 records, omitting 1 inland record 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: Japan (30); United States of America (9); United States Minor Outlying Islands (3).

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 6168819) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=6168819&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=712745 (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 Centropyge interruptus (Tanaka, 1918) 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 165858) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/165858/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 6168819) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/6168819/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

The Japanese angelfish has an orange body marked with purple and blue spots

It has an orangey yellow body with purplish blue spots completed with a bright yellow tail. The spots are larger towards the tail, and the bottom part the rear of the fish gradually becomes purple. The spots also turn from blue to purple towards the tail.

Juveniles has a blue margined black ocellus on the posterior part of the dorsal fin. The dorsal fin contains 14 spines and 16 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 17 soft rays. This species attains a maximum total length of 15 cm.

Distribution

The Japanese angelfish is found in the western Pacific Ocean. They occur in southern Japan from Tokyo to Shikoku, as well as around the Izu Islands and the Ogasawara Islands south of Japan. They also occur in United States waters around Midway Atoll and Kure Atoll and reaching south to Pearl and Hermes Atoll.

Habitat and biology

The Japanese angelfish is found at depths between 15 and 60 m. They are typically encountered as pairs on rocky reefs where there are rich growths of coral and algae.

Their diet consists of algae, benthic invertebrates and sponges. They are oviparous and monogamous. Females change sex to males at a total length of 12.7 cm and this takes 20–39 days to complete.

Systematics

The Japanese angelfish was first formally described in 1918 by the Japanese ichthyologist Shigeho Tanaka (1878-1974) with the type locality given as Tanabe in the Wakayama Prefecture of Japan. The specific name means "interrupted" and was not explained but may refer to the broken dusky bars on the head. Within the genus Centropyge this species is considered, by some authorities, to be in the subgenus Centropyge.

Utilisation

The Japanese angelfish is not common in the aquarium trade although it does well a in captivity and has been successfully bred and reared in captivity. They can command high prices within the trade.

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