Scientific Name
Pomacanthus imperator

Common Name
Emperor angelfish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 13 - 14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 17-21; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 18 - 21. Juveniles are bluish black with concentric white circles. Adults blue with close-set horizontal yellow stripes on the sides and the adjoining dorsal and anal fins. Snout white; eye enclosed in a black vertical bar with blue edge; pectoral fin base area also black. Transformation to the adult color pattern occurs over the size range 8 - 12 cm.

Classification

Classified By

Bloch, 1787

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Angelfishes (Pomacanthidae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-Pacific

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Hawaiian, Line and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan and the Ogasawara Islands, south to the Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia, and the Austral Islands (Ref. 33390). Not found in Easter Island, Rapa and the Marquesan Islands (Ref. 48391).

Range

31°N - 28°S, 32°E - 144°W

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

100 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 1 - 100 m (Ref. 48391)

Trophic Level

2.7 s.e. 0.00 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

40.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5001 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Moderate to high vulnerability (50 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)