Species profile—Centropyge loricula (flame angelfish)
Classification
Animalia (animals) → Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) → Pomacanthidae (anglefishes) → Centropyge loricula (flame angelfish)
Sighting data
Species details
- Kingdom
- Animalia (animals)
- Class
- Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
- Family
- Pomacanthidae (anglefishes)
- Scientific name
- Centropyge loricula (Günther, 1874)
- Common name
- flame angelfish
- WildNet taxon ID
- 32127
- Conservation significant
- No
- Wetland status
- Wetland Dependant Species
- Endemicity
- Native
- Pest status
- Nil
- Description
- The flame angelfish has an orange to red body with several large, dark brown-black vertical stripes or patches on the side. The tail is orange at the base and fades to a white-opaque colour at the tip. The outer margins of the anal fin and the rear part of the dorsal fin (along the spine) are bright blue. There may be a small dark patch directly above the eye.
- Distribution
- The flame angelfish is found in the tropical marine waters of the Western Pacific. In Australia the species is known from Escape Reef on the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.
- Distributional limits
- 0, 0
0, 0 - Species environment
- Marine
- Habitat
- This species inhabits coral reefs of inshore waters.
- Behaviour
- Male angelfish defend their territory by driving away other male competitors. This is performed in order to maintain access to a mate. Like many angelfish species, the flame angelfish probably shelters in caves or coral crevices.
- Reproduction
- For many species of angelfish, spawning (mating) occurs at dusk. Usually a single pair, although sometimes a small group, will congregate off the ocean bottom. When a female arrives nearby, the male performs a courtship display. This involves erecting his fins and swimming rapidly back and forth. Then the male and female swim spiralling toward the surface, where they simultaneously shed eggs and sperm, before returning to the ocean bottom. The eggs are less than 1mm in diameter and hatch 15-20 hours later.
- Diet
- The flame angelfish probably feeds on algae on the reef bottom, like many other angelfish species.
- Notes
- Contributors: Mellisa Mayhew 16/10/2008; Wayne Martin 09/11/2008
- References
- Egerton, L. (ed.) (2005). Encyclopedia of Australian Wildlife, (Revised Edition). Readers Digest Pty Ltd, Sydney.
Froese, R. & Pauly, D. (eds). (2008). FishBase, version (09/2008). World Wide Web electronic publication, Accessed 09/11/2008.
Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. (2006). Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia, Volume 35.2, pp. 1304-1305. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Collingwood. - Profile author
- Mellisa Mayhew (09/11/2008)
Other resources
Data source
This profile data is sourced from the QLD Wildlife Data API using the Get species by ID function used under CC-By 4.0.
https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species/?op=getspeciesbyid&taxonid=32127.
This information is sourced from the WildNet database managed by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science.
