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Blueface Angelfish
Pomacanthus xanthometopon (Bleeker, 1853)
A Blueface Angelfish at a depth of 15 m, Hideaway Island, Vanuatu, July 2007. Photo © D & L. Atkinson. View larger image.
The Blueface Angelfish can be recognised by its distinctive colour pattern. It has a blue reticulated pattern over much of the head and a yellow 'mask' over the eyes. The breast, pectoral fin and caudal fin are yellow. There is a large black spot posteriorly on the dorsal fin. The scales are blue with yellow margins.
The species grows to about 38 cm in length.
It occurs on coral reefs and in tropical inshore waters of the Eastern Indian and Western Pacific Oceans.
In Australia it is known from the offshore islands of north-western Western Australia and the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.
It has also been called the Yellow-faced Angelfish and Yellowmask Angelfish.
Related links
- Blue Angelfish fact sheet
- Blue-ringed Angelfish fact sheet
- Emperor Angelfish fact sheet
- View the Angelfishes list
- View the family Pomacanthidae list
Further reading
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
- Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.
