FIELD GUIDE TO THE ANGELFISHES (POMACANTHIDAE) 



IN THE WESTERN ATLANTIC 



By 



HENRY A. FEDDERN, Director, Marine Laboratory 



Precision Valve Corporation 

 8737 SW 132 Street 

 Miami, Florida 33156 



ABSTRACT 



A key illustrated by photographs and brief descriptions is presented to aid in identifying 

 the six species of angelfishes, family Pomacanthidae, found in the western Atlantic. 



INTRODUCTION 



Fishes of the family Pomacanthidae" are dis- 

 tinguished from those of the Chaetodontidae by 

 the presence in the former of a large posteriorly 

 pointing spine at the angle of the preoperculum. 

 Worldwide, there are seven recognized genera, 

 with three (Pomacanthus, Holacanthiis, and 

 Centropyge) occurring in the western Atlantic. 



' Contribution No. 215, National Marine Fisheries 

 Service, Southeast Fisheries Center, Miami, Fl. 33149 

 and Contribution No. 1542, Rosenstiel School of Marine 

 and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, Miami, 

 Fl. 33149. 



' Angeliflshes have been separated under the name 

 Pomacanthidae from the butterflyfishes (Chaetodonti- 

 dae) by Burgess, W. (in press) on the basis of osteologi- 

 cal and other characters. 



In this area, the genera are represented by six 

 species. These have been difficult to identify be- 

 cause of nomenclatorial changes and because of 

 color changes from juvenile to adult. 



The juveniles of these species are of commer- 

 cial importance in the marine aquarium fish hob- 

 by, and the adults are the basis of a fishery in 

 some parts of the Caribbean and the Antilles. 

 The angelfishes comprise the most important 

 group of fishes using live sponge as a source of 

 food. 



An illustrated key is given for the identifica- 

 tion of the juvenile, subadult, and adult stages 

 of the western Atlantic species of angelfishes. 

 Brief descriptions, common names, habitat, and 

 distributions are also given for each species. 



