Blue velvet angelfish

Blue velvet angelfish
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Acanthuriformes
Family: Pomacanthidae
Genus: Centropyge
Species:
C. deborae
Binomial name
Centropyge deborae
Shen, Ho & Chang, 2012

The blue velvet angelfish (Centropyge deborae), also known as the Fiji blue midnight angelfish, is a small species of marine angelfish, family Pomacanthidae. It is only known from Fiji where it was initially considered to be a variety or subspecies of the midnight pygmy angelfish.

Description

The blue velvet angelfish has an overall bluish-black colour,[1] although in poor light it appears black.[2] The caudal fin has a white rear margin and the rays of the pectoral fin are black separated by a transparent membrane. The dorsal fin has 13–14 spines and 16–17 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 17–18 soft rays. This species attains a maximum total length of 7 centimetres (2.8 in).[1] [3]

Distribution

The blue velvet angelfish is only known from Fiji.[1]

Habitat and biology

The blue velvet angelfish is an extremely shy fish which often hides among rubble and rocks, particularly when alarmed, on seamounts.[4]

Systematics

The blue velvet angelfish was first formally described in 2012 by Kang-Ning Shen, Hsuan-Ching Ho, and Chih-Wei Chang with the type locality given as Bligh Water, east of Yasawa Island in Fiji.[5] The specific name honours Deborah Smith, wife of Walt Smith, a collector and trader in the aquarium trade who collected the type series. Within the genus Centropyge this species is considered to be incertae sedis.[6] It was initially identified as C. nox but the blue tint and subsequent genetic analysis at the National Taiwan University confirmed it was a new species.[2]

Utilization

The blue velvet angelfish makes an occasional appearance in the aquarium trade.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Centropyge deborae". FishBase. December 2019 version.
  2. ^ a b c Jake Adams (24 June 2011). "Centropyge deborae: Fiji blue midnight angelfish to be described as a separate species". reffbuilders.com. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
  3. ^ Kang-Ning Shen; Hsuan-Ching Ho & Chi-Wei Chan (2012). "The blue velvet angelfish, Centropyge deborae, a new pomacanthid from the Fiji Islands, based on genetic and morphological analyses" (PDF). Zoological Studies. 51 (3): 415–423. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-08-03. Retrieved 2024-06-10.
  4. ^ "Centropyge Deborae". FishnCorals. Retrieved 20 January 2021.[permanent dead link‍]
  5. ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Centropyge". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  6. ^ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara (21 July 2020). "Order ACANTHURIFORMES (part 1): Families LOBOTIDAE, POMACANTHIDAE, DREPANEIDAE and CHAETODONTIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 17 January 2021.