Centropyge joculator
Species of fish
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Centropyge joculator, commonly known as the joculator angelfish, yellow head angelfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. It is found in the central Pacific Ocean. [1]
| Centropyge joculator | |
|---|---|
| |
| Image of Centropyge joculator | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Division: | Teleostei |
| Order: | Acanthuriformes |
| Family: | Pomacanthidae |
| Genus: | Centropyge |
| Species: | C. joculator |
| Binomial name | |
| Centropyge joculator (William F. Smith-Vaniz & John E. Randall, 1974) | |
Description
Centropyge joculator is a brightly colored angelfish that resembles the bicolor angelfish (Centropyge bicolor) but lacks the distinguishing vertical blue bar above the eye. In contrast, the joculator angelfish sports a blue ring around its eyes and the same electric blue coloration traces a thin outline along the edges of its dorsal and anal fins. This fish attains a maximum length of 9 centimetres (3.5 in).[2]
Distribution
Centropyge joculator is found only in the Christmas Islands and Cocos-Keeling Islands in the Eastern Indian Ocean.[3]
Habitat and biology
Centropyge joculator is found at depths between 10 and 70 metres (33 and 230 ft).[4] This species lives in areas of rock, coral or rubble on seaward reefs. Juveniles are occasionally recorded in waters as shallow as 5 metres (16 ft). It is a benthopelagic species which feeds on algae and detritus. They may live in small social groups, harems with a single male and up to 4 females. They are protogynous hermaphrodites and if no male is present the dominant female will change sex.
