CENTROPYGE WOODHEADI - (KUITER, 1998)
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Acanthuriformes (Order) > Pomacanthidae (Family) > Centropyge (Genus)
Poisson-ange nain de Woodhead, Poisson-ange nain à nageoire noire, Blackfin pygmy angelfish, Woodhead angelfish,
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 15; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 17. Max. length: 12.0 cm TL. Depth range: 5 - 20 m.
Color
A bright yellow to yellowish-orange fish with a dusky olive patch surrounding yellowish-orange spots behind the eye with a black mark on the soft dorsal fin.
Etymology
Centropyge: from Greek, kentron = sting + from Greek, pyge = rump, buttocks, tail. Referring to his three anal-fin spines.
woodheadi: in honor of underwater photographer Phil Woodhead (b. 1956), who brought this species to Kuiter’s attention.
Original description: Centropyge woodheadi Kuiter, 1998 - Type locality: Maloa Island, Lau Group, Fiji, 18°35'S, 179°50'E, depth: 9 meters.
Distribution
Southern Pacific Ocean: Great Barrier Reef (Australia), New Caledonia, Fiji to Gambier Archipelago (French Polynesia).
Poisson-ange nain de Woodhead, Poisson-ange nain à nageoire noire, Blackfin pygmy angelfish, Woodhead angelfish,
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 15; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 17. Max. length: 12.0 cm TL. Depth range: 5 - 20 m.
Color
A bright yellow to yellowish-orange fish with a dusky olive patch surrounding yellowish-orange spots behind the eye with a black mark on the soft dorsal fin.
Etymology
Centropyge: from Greek, kentron = sting + from Greek, pyge = rump, buttocks, tail. Referring to his three anal-fin spines.
woodheadi: in honor of underwater photographer Phil Woodhead (b. 1956), who brought this species to Kuiter’s attention.
Original description: Centropyge woodheadi Kuiter, 1998 - Type locality: Maloa Island, Lau Group, Fiji, 18°35'S, 179°50'E, depth: 9 meters.
Distribution
Southern Pacific Ocean: Great Barrier Reef (Australia), New Caledonia, Fiji to Gambier Archipelago (French Polynesia).
Biology
Inhabits steep outer reef slopes, occasionally on lagoon reefs. Herbivorous. Hermaphrodite. Changes sex from female to male.
Acanthurus olivaceus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Acanthurus pyroferus (Kittlitz, 1834) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Centropyge cocosensis (Shen, Chang, Delrieu-Trottin & Borsa, 2016) - Reported from Eastern Indian Ocean: Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island.
Centropyge flavissima (Cuvier, 1831) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Centropyge heraldi (Woods & Schultz, 1953) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Last update: 30, March 2024