The emperor angelfish is one of the reef's most striking residents, with electric-blue and yellow stripes that seem almost painted on. Juveniles wear a very different outfit—dark blue with concentric white circles—and divers often mistake them for a different species entirely. Adults inhabit coral and rocky reefs across the Indo-Pacific, typically between 20 and 100 metres, feeding on sponges and tunicates. These fish are territorial and usually solitary or in pairs; watch for them nosing methodically through crevices.
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Teleostei
- Order
- Acanthuriformes
- Family
- Pomacanthidae
- Genus
- Pomacanthus
Most likely to be seen at
Sites where its range and habitat make it likely — not yet confirmed by a logged sighting.