Cortez angelfish (Pomacanthus zonipectus)

Classification (WoRMS)

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

Accepted name: Pomacanthus zonipectus · Authority: (Gill, 1862) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 276028.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Pomacanthodes zonipectus Gill, 1862.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=276028 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 46 cm · Common length: 26 cm · Depth range: 6–12 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 36 of 100 · Fishery importance: subsistence fisheries · Aquarium trade: commercial.

FishBase notes: A diurnal feeder or substrate feeder. Primary food item are sponges supplemented by tunicates, algae, bryozoans, hydroids and eggs.

Adults often range widely over the reef in pairs or loose aggregations while juveniles are territorial and solitary. Oviparous (Ref. 240), monogamous (Ref. 52884). Breeding occurs from midsummer to early fall and juveniles are most abundant from August through November.

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 8328) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Pomacanthus-zonipectus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

1,016 georeferenced occurrence records for Pomacanthus zonipectus are published through GBIF from 15 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 86 distinct locations from a sample of 1,016 records, omitting 51 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: Mexico (588); Costa Rica (168); Panama (136); Colombia (46); Ecuador (44).

The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2396396) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2396396&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=276028 (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 zonipectus (Gill, 1862) 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 165889) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/165889/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2396396) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2396396/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

Pomacanthus zonipectus was first formally described as Pomacanthodes zonipectus in 1862 by the American ichthyologist Theodore Nicholas Gill (1837–1914) with the type locality given as San Salvador in El Salvador. Some authorities place this species in the subgenus Pomacanthus. The specific name zonipectus is a compound of zona meaning "belt" and pectus meaning "breast", a reference to the dark-brown girdle on the breast to the rear of the pelvic and pectoral fins.

Distribution

Pomacanthus zonipectus occurs in the eastern Pacific Ocean from Puerto Peñasco, in the northern Gulf of California of Mexico south to Peru. It has been recorded as a vagrant from southern California, the Galapagos Islands, Cocos Island and Malpelo Island, although it has not been reported from Clipperton Island.

Description

Like other members of the genus Pomacanthus, has juveniles and adults which look quite different. The adults have the posterior half of the body covered by a matrix of crisscrossing lines, becoming yellowish-green in the tail. There is a large yellow arc to the rear of the pectoral fins and a bright yellow saddle across the nape. There is a pale grey section in the middle of the flanks.

The juveniles have a brownish black background colour broken by 6 vertical vivid yellow bands that start on the face and finish at the caudal peduncle, between the yellow bars there are parallel blue bars. The dorsal and pelvic fins have bright blue margins. These angelfishes have 11 spines and 24–25 soft rays in the dorsal fin and 3 spines and 20–22 soft rays in the anal fin.

Habitat and biology

Pomacanthus zonipectus is found between depths of 6 and 50 m. This species is diurnal, it feeds on food items taken from the substrate, mainly sponges but including tunicates, algae, bryozoans, hydroids and the eggs of fish. The adults are found in pairs which range widely over therefore while the solitary juveniles are territorial.

Spawning happens from midsummer to early autumn and the juveniles are most abundant from August up to November. They appear to be monogamous. Juveniles are also found in tidal pools.

Utilisation

Pomacanthus zonipectus occasionally appears in the aquarium trade.

Source: Wikipedia: Pomacanthus zonipectus — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomacanthus_zonipectus (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.