Find a Fish
Two-spined Angelfish
Centropyge bispinosa (Günther, 1860)
A Two-spined Angelfish at a depth of 15m, Steve's Bommie, Ribbon #3, Great Barrier Reef off Cooktown, December 2001. View larger image.
A Two-spined Angelfish at a depth of 14m, Joan Reef, south of Rodda Reef, far northern Great Barrier Reef, December 2001. View larger image.
A Two-Spined Angelfish at a depth of 15m, Horseshoe Reef, Great Detached Reef, far northern Great Barrier Reef, November 2001. View larger image.
Two-Spined Angelfish are usually blue-purple on the head and the dorsal, anal and caudal fins. The centre of the body is orange to yellow, with blue lines or spots.
This species grows to 10cm in length.
The Two-Spined Angelfish is most common on outer reef slopes. It is a secretive species that uses crevices in the reef for shelter. This fish occurs singly or in small groups.
It is found in depths from 5m to 45m.
The Two-Spined Angelfish feeds on algae.
It occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-West and Central Pacific, from East Africa, north to Japan, south to Australia and east to the Tuamoto Islands.
In Australia it is known from off north-western Western Australia and the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland to the central coast of New South Wales. It is also known from Lord Howe Island.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Further reading
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 220.
- Allen, G.R., Steene, R. & M. Allen. 1998. A Guide to Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes. Odyssey Publishing/Tropical Reef Research. Pp. 250.
- Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 330.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 251.
Copyright © Australian Museum, 2006
Page researched and compiled by
K. Parkinson & M. McGrouther, August 2003.
