204: POMACANTHIDAE (ANGELFISHES)
204.9 Pomacanthus imperator
(Bloch, 1787)
PLATE 73
Emperor angelfish
Keiser-engelvis
Chaetodon imperator Bloch , 1787: 51, PI. 194 (Japan). Pomacanthus
imperator: Smith, SFSA No. 585*; Steene, 1978: 134'; van der Elst, 1981:
240'; Heemstra, 1984: 13.
D XIV,19-21; A III,19-20; P 19-20; GR (6-7)+(13-14); LLca. 77-79; LS
ca. 90. Soft D develops a point with growth.
Juveniles immediately recognisable by concentric circles
on body. Attains about 40 cm. Outer reefs of live coral in
1 - 25 m. Indo-West Pacific south to Natal, juveniles occasionally reach East London.
204.10 Pomacathus maculosus
(Forsskal, 1775)
PLATE 72
Yellow-blotch angelfish
Geelvlek -engelvis
Chaetodon maculosus Forsskal, 1775: 62 (Red Sea). Pomacanthops
Jilamentosus Smith , 1955: 383, PI. 4, Fig. A (Tekomazi Id., Mozambique). Pomacanthus maculosus: Allen, 1979: 306'; Heemstra, 1984: 13.
D XII,21; A III ,21 ; P 19-20; GR (5-6)+(13-14); LL ca. 70.
Juveniles dark brown, with curved pale blue or white
stripes; C mostly pale. Adults brownish; scales on nape and
upper front part of body margined in black; elongate yellow
blotch as shown; C yellowish. Attains 40 cm. Red Sea and
Persian Gulf to BOS, probably in our area.
204.11 Pomacanthus semicirculatus
(Cuvier, 1831)
PLATES 72 & 74
Semicircle angelfish
Halfsirkel-engelvis
Holacanthus semicirculatus Cuvier, in Cuv. & Val. , 1831: 191 (Timor,
Buru, Waigui , Port Praslin, New Ireland). Pomacanthus semicirculatus:
Smith, SFSA No. 584* (not figure of juvenile); Steene, 1978: 136'; van der
Elst, 1981: 241*; Heemstra, 1984: 13.
D XIII,21-23; A III,20-22; P 19-21; GR (4-5)+ 13; LS ca. 75 ; LL 65-70
complete, or rarely not quite reaching C base; C rounded.
Juveniles with wide and narrow semicircular bands.
Attains over 40 cm. Indo-West Pacific, juveniles reach
Algoa Bay. Adults solitary in 1 - 25 m among coral.
Old woman
204.12 Pomacanthus striatus
(Ruppell, 1836)
PLATES 73 & 74
Ouvrou
Holacanthus striatus Riippell, 1836: 32, PI. 10, Fig. 2 (Red Sea).
Holacanthus rhomboides Gilchrist & Thompson , 1908: 161 (Natal).
626
Pomacanthus striatus: Smith, SFSA No. 583*; Allen, 1980: 310*; van der
Elst, 1981: 242*; Heemstra, 1984: 14. Pomacanthus semicirculatus (non
Cuvier) : Smith, SFSA (only figure of juvenile on PI. 30, No. 584).
Pomacanthops striatus: Smith, 1955: 383.
D XI-XII,22-25; A III,21-23; P 19-21 ; GR (5-6)+(12-13); LL ca. 46; LS
ca. 80; C truncate or lobes slightly produced .
Large adults drab, rear ~ of body pale bluish grey; fins
dusky. Attains at least 46 cm. Western Indian Ocean from
southern Red Sea southwards; plentiful in Natal with occasional juveniles reaching Knysna. Adults are coral-haunting down to 12 m or more; usually seen feeding on plankton
in midwater. Good eating.
204.12 Pomacanthus striatus: 38 em (Inhaea Id.).
Genus Pygop/ites Fraser-Brunner, 1933
Lateral line terminates below end of D; interopercle
small; about 8 rows of scales on opercle. Monotypic.
204.13 Pygop/ites diacanthus
(Boddaert, 1772)
PLATE 72
Royal angelfish
Koninklike engelvis
Chaetodon diacanthus Boddaert, 1772: PI. 9 (Amboina; Moluccas).
PygopUtes diacanthus: Smith, 1955: 378; 1961: 568; No. 5823; Steene,
1978: 138*; Smith, 1980: 179; Heemstra, 1984: 14.
D XIV,18-19; A 1II ,18-19; P 16-17; GR (5-6)+(12-13); LL ca. 50; LS
ca. 50.
The striking colours of the adult, reminiscent of a football
jersey, do not fade rapidly after death. Juveniles have fewer
bands and a black ocellus on soft D. Attains 25 cm. Widespread in tropical Indo-West Pacific south to Sodwana Bay;
usually seen swimming from one coral crevice to another in
depths of 1 - 20 m.
204.9 Pomacanthus imperator
(Bloch, 1787)
PLATE 73
Emperor angelfish
Keiser-engelvis
Chaetodon imperator Bloch , 1787: 51, PI. 194 (Japan). Pomacanthus
imperator: Smith, SFSA No. 585*; Steene, 1978: 134'; van der Elst, 1981:
240'; Heemstra, 1984: 13.
D XIV,19-21; A III,19-20; P 19-20; GR (6-7)+(13-14); LLca. 77-79; LS
ca. 90. Soft D develops a point with growth.
Juveniles immediately recognisable by concentric circles
on body. Attains about 40 cm. Outer reefs of live coral in
1 - 25 m. Indo-West Pacific south to Natal, juveniles occasionally reach East London.
204.10 Pomacathus maculosus
(Forsskal, 1775)
PLATE 72
Yellow-blotch angelfish
Geelvlek -engelvis
Chaetodon maculosus Forsskal, 1775: 62 (Red Sea). Pomacanthops
Jilamentosus Smith , 1955: 383, PI. 4, Fig. A (Tekomazi Id., Mozambique). Pomacanthus maculosus: Allen, 1979: 306'; Heemstra, 1984: 13.
D XII,21; A III ,21 ; P 19-20; GR (5-6)+(13-14); LL ca. 70.
Juveniles dark brown, with curved pale blue or white
stripes; C mostly pale. Adults brownish; scales on nape and
upper front part of body margined in black; elongate yellow
blotch as shown; C yellowish. Attains 40 cm. Red Sea and
Persian Gulf to BOS, probably in our area.
204.11 Pomacanthus semicirculatus
(Cuvier, 1831)
PLATES 72 & 74
Semicircle angelfish
Halfsirkel-engelvis
Holacanthus semicirculatus Cuvier, in Cuv. & Val. , 1831: 191 (Timor,
Buru, Waigui , Port Praslin, New Ireland). Pomacanthus semicirculatus:
Smith, SFSA No. 584* (not figure of juvenile); Steene, 1978: 136'; van der
Elst, 1981: 241*; Heemstra, 1984: 13.
D XIII,21-23; A III,20-22; P 19-21; GR (4-5)+ 13; LS ca. 75 ; LL 65-70
complete, or rarely not quite reaching C base; C rounded.
Juveniles with wide and narrow semicircular bands.
Attains over 40 cm. Indo-West Pacific, juveniles reach
Algoa Bay. Adults solitary in 1 - 25 m among coral.
Old woman
204.12 Pomacanthus striatus
(Ruppell, 1836)
PLATES 73 & 74
Ouvrou
Holacanthus striatus Riippell, 1836: 32, PI. 10, Fig. 2 (Red Sea).
Holacanthus rhomboides Gilchrist & Thompson , 1908: 161 (Natal).
626
Pomacanthus striatus: Smith, SFSA No. 583*; Allen, 1980: 310*; van der
Elst, 1981: 242*; Heemstra, 1984: 14. Pomacanthus semicirculatus (non
Cuvier) : Smith, SFSA (only figure of juvenile on PI. 30, No. 584).
Pomacanthops striatus: Smith, 1955: 383.
D XI-XII,22-25; A III,21-23; P 19-21 ; GR (5-6)+(12-13); LL ca. 46; LS
ca. 80; C truncate or lobes slightly produced .
Large adults drab, rear ~ of body pale bluish grey; fins
dusky. Attains at least 46 cm. Western Indian Ocean from
southern Red Sea southwards; plentiful in Natal with occasional juveniles reaching Knysna. Adults are coral-haunting down to 12 m or more; usually seen feeding on plankton
in midwater. Good eating.
204.12 Pomacanthus striatus: 38 em (Inhaea Id.).
Genus Pygop/ites Fraser-Brunner, 1933
Lateral line terminates below end of D; interopercle
small; about 8 rows of scales on opercle. Monotypic.
204.13 Pygop/ites diacanthus
(Boddaert, 1772)
PLATE 72
Royal angelfish
Koninklike engelvis
Chaetodon diacanthus Boddaert, 1772: PI. 9 (Amboina; Moluccas).
PygopUtes diacanthus: Smith, 1955: 378; 1961: 568; No. 5823; Steene,
1978: 138*; Smith, 1980: 179; Heemstra, 1984: 14.
D XIV,18-19; A 1II ,18-19; P 16-17; GR (5-6)+(12-13); LL ca. 50; LS
ca. 50.
The striking colours of the adult, reminiscent of a football
jersey, do not fade rapidly after death. Juveniles have fewer
bands and a black ocellus on soft D. Attains 25 cm. Widespread in tropical Indo-West Pacific south to Sodwana Bay;
usually seen swimming from one coral crevice to another in
depths of 1 - 20 m.