Scientific Classification

Common Name

French angelfish

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Osteichthyes

Order

Perciformes

Family

Pomacanthidae

Genus Species

Pomacanthus paru

Fast Facts

Description

Black ovoid body with yellow edging to mid and posterior scales. Base of pectoral fins are yellow. Face is black save for the grayish mouth and yellow ring around eye. Portions of dorsal and anal fins trail beyond body mass – as is seen in most angelfish. Solid, squared (truncate) caudal fin. Juvenile form consists of a black body with three yellow bars. Additionally, yellow band extends down forehead and around mouth. Also, caudal fin is edged in yellow.

Size

25.4 to 35.6 cm (10 to 14 in.) avg; 45.7 cm (18 in.) max

Diet

Sponges, algae, bryozoans, zooantharians, gorgonians, and tunicates

Incubation

Species exhibits dioecism. Fertilization is external. Species is open water/substratum egg scatterer. Spawning primarily occurs in late summer.

Range

Western Atlantic: Florida and Gulf of Mexico to Brazil
Eastern Atlantic: Ascension Island and St. Paul's Rocks

Habitat

3 to 100 meters (10 to 330 ft) in tropical & sub-tropical coastal marine waters

Population

Global: No data

Status 

IUCN: Not listed
CITES: Not listed
USFWS: Not listed

Fun Facts

1. French angelfish exhibit apparently permanent, monogamous breeding pairs. During the spawning cycle, these pairs are highly territorial. 
2. Juvenile form serves as a symbiotic cleaner fish, feeding on the ectoparasites of other fish species. 
3. For more information about bony fishes, explore the Bony Fishes InfoBook.  

Ecology and Conservation

No data

Bibliography

Bond, Carl E. Biology of Fishes - Second Edition. Saunders College Publishing, 1996.

Humann, Paul. Reef Fish Identification - Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas. New World Publications, Inc., 1992.

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