Common in shallow reefs. Usually in pairs, often near sea fans (Ref. 9710). Feed on sponges, algae, bryozoans, zoantharians, gorgonians and tunicates (Ref. 9626). Oviparous (Ref. 240), monogamous (Ref. 52884). Spawning pairs are strongly territorial, with usually both members vigorously defending their areas against neighboring pairs (Ref. 38726). Juveniles tend cleaning stations where they service a broad range of clients, including jacks, snappers, morays, grunts, surgeonfishes, and wrasses. At the station the cleaner displays a fluttering swimming and when cleaning it touches the clients with its pelvic fins (Ref. 40094). Flesh considered good quality; marketed fresh (Ref. 3797). Has been reared in captivity (Ref. 35419).

Western Atlantic: Florida, USA and Bahamas to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean (Ref. 26938). Eastern Atlantic: off Ascension Island (Ref. 7379) and St. Paul's Rocks (Ref. 13121).

This species is found from Florida and the Bahamas to Brazil and straggling north to New York in the Gulf Stream. Has been introduced to Bermuda but not established, however, rare waifs reported from Bermuda. Also reported from St. Helena and Ascenscion Islands in the eastern Atlantic (Burgess 2002). It has been reported as vagrants from West Africa (Allen 1980). Present at depths of 3-100 m.

Pomacanthus paru are abundant along coral reefs along both sides of the Atlantic. The distribution in the Western Tropical Atlantic ranges from Florida and the Bahamas to Brazil. In the Eastern Atlantic, they are found in West Africa and Cape Verde Island. It also has recently been introduced to Bermuda (Allen 1985, Eli 2000).

Biogeographic Regions: atlantic ocean (Native )

Gulf of Mexico

Western Atlantic and St. Paul's Rocks and islands in the eastern Atlantic.

Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 29 - 31; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 22 - 24

Size: Adults can reach a maximum length of 41.1 cm.

Coloration: The appearance of P. paru differs greatly between juveniles and adults. Young P. paru are a dark brown to black color with thick, curved yellow bands across the head and body. As an adult, the yellow bands fade except for one yellow bar at the outer base of the pectoral fin. The scales turn black with yellow rims and the face becomes light blue with a white chin and mouth region.

Body shape: The disc-shaped Angelfish family is distinguished by a strong, curved, projecting spine on the lower edge of the preopercle bone and the absence of a pelvic axillary process. On juveniles, the spine is serrate and smoothes out in the adult form. The stout spine found on the gill cover gives P. paru its name (Pom= "cover", acanthus= "spine"), and distinguishes them from the closely related butterflyfishes (Allen 1985, Helfman 1997, Nelson 1999).

Maximum size: 411 mm TL

41.1 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 9626))

Black, the scales of the body , except those at front from nape to abdomen, rimmed with golden yellow; a broad orange-yellow bar at pectoral absent; dorsal filament yellow; chin whitish; outer part of iris yellow; eye narrowly rimmed below with blue (Ref. 13442)

reef-associated; non-migratory; marine; depth range 3 - 100 m (Ref. 7379)

Habitat and Ecology

Systems

• Marine

They are found in coral reef areas in depths of less than forty meters. At night, P. paru seek cover, usually returning to the same place every night. They are often associated with rocky, broken bottoms, coral reefs, and grassy flats, which provide sufficient hiding places and enough coverage.

Physically, P. paru does well under a broad range of conditions. They are eurayhaline, meaning they tolerate a wide span of salinity. Temperatures in the mid seventy degrees are optimal for this species (Allen 1985,   http://www.hood.edu/academic/biology/frenchangelfish.htm).

Aquatic Biomes: reef

Depth range based on 401 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 280 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0.4 - 127
  Temperature range (°C): 19.645 - 28.503
  Nitrate (umol/L): 0.125 - 7.308
  Salinity (PPS): 34.217 - 37.169
  Oxygen (ml/l): 3.728 - 4.773
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.046 - 0.633
  Silicate (umol/l): 0.805 - 5.080

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 0.4 - 127

Temperature range (°C): 19.645 - 28.503

Nitrate (umol/L): 0.125 - 7.308

Salinity (PPS): 34.217 - 37.169

Oxygen (ml/l): 3.728 - 4.773

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.046 - 0.633

Silicate (umol/l): 0.805 - 5.080
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Depth: 3 - 100m.
From 3 to 100 meters.

Habitat: reef-associated.

Common in shallow reefs. Usually in pairs, often near sea fans (Ref. 9710). Feed on sponges, algae, bryozoans, zoantharians, gorgonians and tunicates (Ref. 9626). Browser fish (Ref. 33499).

P. paru are mostly omnivorous. Juveniles feed on a mix of algae and detritus with occasional parasites, acquired from other fish. The diet of adults is made up mostly of sponges. They also consume tunicates, gorgonians, hydroids, zoantharians and coral as alternative sources of food (Allen 1985, Eli 2000).

This species manifests apparent permanent pairing and monogamy. During most of the observation period, a single pair swam slowly in a side-to-side orientation at a height of 25 to 75 cm above the reef. No conspicuous courtship displays were evident, nor was there any evidence of sexual identity, i.e., the female was not obviously swollen with eggs. Shortly after sunset, the pair ascended in a broad, shallow arc off the bottom, traversing approximately 7 to 10 m while ascending to a height of 2 to 3 m. As the pair ascended, each angled its body slightly, with their venters in close proximity, if not actually touching. This position was held throughout the peak of the arc, with the pair diverging on the descent. Other pairs in the area were seen making similar arcing movements elsewhere on the reef at approximately the same time. It was difficult to see if there were gametes released in the event. There was no interference between pairs during spawning.

Maturity is reached at an age of 3.4 years. Reproduction is a pair-spawning, egg-scattering process. The egg-filled female travels with the male to the surface where both the eggs and sperm are released into the water. The eggs develop in beds of floating plankton where the young grow until they can travel down to the coral reef (Allen 1985,   http://www.hood.edu/academic/biology/frenchangelfish.htm).

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.


There are 10 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.  Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.


Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 10
Specimens with Barcodes: 15
Species With Barcodes: 1

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern

Population

Population Trend

Least Concern (LC)

Major Threats

Conservation Actions

fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial; price category: high; price reliability: very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family

none known

P. paru has economic importance in the commercial aquarium trade and is collected by means of non-damaging nets. They are sold for a minimum of fifty-six dollars in the aquarium trade. The high tolerance to physical changes, disease-resistance, and longevity establishes this species as an ideal aquarium specimen. This hardiness enables aquarium owners to enjoy the beauty and elegance of this fish in their homes

There is minor commercial fishery use of P. paru. Their flesh has been marketed and is used for human consumption in Singapore and Thailand (Eli 2000,   http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FrAng.htm).