Animal Species:Coral Beauty, Centropyge bispinosa (Günther, 1860)

As its standard name implies, the Coral Beauty is one of many beautiful species that occur on coral reefs.

A Coral Beauty at Steve's Bommie

A Coral Beauty at Steve's Bommie
Erik Schlögl © Erik Schlögl

Alternative Name/s

Two-spined Angelfish, Twospine Angelfish

Identification

The Coral Beauty is 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.

Size range

The species grows to 10 cm in length.

Distribution

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.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Centropyge bispinosa

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Coral Beauty specimens in the Australian Museum.

What does this mean?

Habitat

The Coral Beauty 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 5 m to 45 m.

Feeding and Diet

The species feeds on algae.

Classification

Species:
bispinosa
Genus:
Centropyge
Family:
Pomacanthidae
Order:
Perciformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 220.
  2. Allen, G.R., Steene, R. & M. Allen. 1998. A Guide to Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes. Odyssey Publishing/Tropical Reef Research. Pp. 250.
  3. Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 330.
  4. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 251.


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags fishes, ichthyology, Coral Beauty, Centropyge bispinosa, blue, orange, yellow, < 10 cm, stripes or bands, coral reef, marine, adult,