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Regal angelfish (royal angelfish)
Pygoplites diacanthus
Valid name.
- English
- Regal angelfish (royal angelfish)
- Scientific
- Pygoplites diacanthus
- Dhivehi
- ކުލަ ކޮކާމަސްKula kokaamas
- Group
- Reef fish
- Maximum size
- About 25 cm
- Depth and habitat
- Coral-rich reefs and caves, about 1 to 80 m
- IUCN status
- LC · Least ConcernLeast Concern (LC), assessed 2009
Description
An angelfish with alternating orange-yellow and blue-edged white vertical bars, a yellow tail and dark-blue spotted rear fins. It is secretive, rarely moving far from cover. Its diet is mostly sponges and sea squirts, which makes it notoriously difficult to keep in aquaria. It is usually seen singly or in pairs.
In the Maldives
Common but shy on Maldivian reefs, usually close to caves and crevices. Indian Ocean fish have a yellow-orange breast, unlike the grey-breasted Pacific form.
Sources
- fishbase.se /summary/Pygoplites-diacanthus.html
- fao.org /4/AD471E/AD471E00.htm
- fishbase.se /comnames/CommonNamesList.php?ID=6572&GenusName=Pygoplites&SpeciesName
- dv.wikipedia.org /wiki/ކުލަ_ކޮކާމަސް
- commons.wikimedia.org /wiki/File:Pez_ángel_real_(Pygoplites_diacanthus),_parque_nacional_Ras
Dhivehi name source: M.R.S. (1997) Fishes of the Maldives, Marine Research Section, Malé (FAO/BOBP MAG/21); Thaana from Dhivehi Wikipedia (fish articles derived from the MRS 1997 Dhivehi edition). FishBase also lists 'Kula kokaa'.