Centropyge is a genus of ray-finned fish, marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean. These species do not exceed 15 cm in length and live in haremic structures with one dominant male and multiple females.
Taxonomy Centropyge is a paraphyletic genus. This is because Genicanthus and the polyphyletic genus Apolemichthys are nested within Centropyge.
Centropyge includes 3 subgenera and several species complexes. The subgenus Xiphypops only comprises all species within the C. acanthops complex, which include C. acanthops, C. argi, C. aurantonota, C. resplendens. Subgenus Paracentropyge comprises C. boylei, C. multifasciata, and C. venusta. These two subgenera are monophyletic and there is support for their elevation to genus status. All other species currently fall under the nominate subgenus Centropyge, which is not monophyletic. Different studies have designated different species complexes within Centropyge, based on differing definitions of the term 'species complex'.
Biology Although it is difficult to distinguish the sexes, females are often shorter and more round finned. Like many other reef fish and all marine angelfish, the species in this genus are protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning that they start their adult lives as females and the dominant individual in a group can change to a male within days. A reversal of this sex change is possible if the social status of the individual changes, it is however a process that requires much more time.Hioki, S. & Suzuki, K. (1996): Sex changing from male to female on the way of protogynous process in three Centropyge angelfishes (Pomacanthidae: Teleostei). Bulletin of the Institute of Oceanic Research and Development, Tokai University, 17: 27–34. Uniquely amongst protogynous fish, males of at least one species of Centropyge (C. ferrugata) are capable of reversing sex change and changing back into females.
In aquaria This genus prefer matured reef tanks due to the usually high water quality and the often used "live rock". In nature most species feed on algae, sponges and small benthic invertebrates. Having an abundance of well cured live rock will help to supplement their diet.Thomasser, A. Reef Safari! Keeping Multibarred Angelfish. WetWebMedia. This is also in the interest of the aquarist, as underfed Centropyge angels may nip at corals and sessile invertebrates.Hauter, S. & Hauter, D. (2016): Reef Tank Safe Angelfish. Saltaquarium. Dwarf angels can be quite shy initially, hiding in corals, caves and crevices but become more outgoing when they have established their territory - if they are kept with appropriate tank mates and in appropriately sized tanks.Fenner, R. Perfect Little Angels, Genus Centropyge. WetWebMedia.
Species There are currently 35 recognized species in this genus: Image Scientific name Common name Distribution Centropyge abei G. R. Allen, Young & P. L. Colin, 2006 Abe's pygmy angelfish Western Pacific Ocean, amongst the islands of Indonesia and Palau Centropyge acanthops (Norman, 1922) Orange-back pygmy angelfishEast coast of Africa, Centropyge argi Woods & Kanazawa, 1951 Cherub pygmy angelfishThe Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, North to North Carolina. Centropyge aurantia J. E. Randall & Wass, 1974 Golden pygmy angelfishThe western Pacific Ocean: Indonesia and the Great Barrier Reef. Centropyge aurantonotus W. E. Burgess, 1974 Flame-back pygmy angelfishsouthern Caribbean Sea and the coastal waters of Brazil Centropyge bicolor (Bloch, 1787) Bicolor pygmy angelfish Indo-Pacific region: including East Africa, Southern Japan, Australia, and even Fiji. Centropyge bispinosa (Günther, 1860) Two-spined pygmy angelfish Indo-Pacific Centropyge boylei Pyle & J. E. Randall, 1992 Peppermint pygmy angelfish Eastern-central Pacific around the Cook Islands and Rarotonga Centropyge cocosensis K. N. Shen, C. W. Chang, Delrieu-Trottin & Borsa, 2016 Cocos pygmy angelfish Shen, K.-N., Chang, C.-W., Delrieu-Trottin, E. & Borsa, P. (2016): Lemonpeel (Centropyge flavissima) and yellow (C. heraldi) pygmy angelfishes each consist of two geographically isolated sibling species. Marine Biodiversity, 47 (3): 831–845.Eastern Indian Ocean: Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island. Centropyge colini Smith-Vaniz & J. E. Randall, 1974 Cocos-Keeling angelfish Indo-west Pacific Ocean, including around the Cocos (Keeling) Islands Centropyge debelius Pyle, 1990 Blue Mauritius pygmy angelfishWestern Indian Ocean: Mauritius, Réunion, and the Aldabra Group (Seychelles). Centropyge deborae K. N. Shen, H. C. Ho & C. W. Chang, 2012 Blue velvet pygmy angelfish Shen, K.-N., Ho, H.-C. & Chang, C.-W. (2012): The Blue Velvet Angelfish Centropyge deborae sp. nov., a New Pomacanthid from the Fiji Islands, Based on Genetic and Morphological Analyses. Zoological Studies, 51 (3): 415–423.Fiji Centropyge eibli Klausewitz, 1963 Black-tail pygmy angelfishThe Indo-Pacific. Centropyge ferrugata J. E. Randall & W. E. Burgess, 1972 Rusty pygmy angelfishWestern Pacific Ocean Centropyge fisheri (Snyder, 1904) Orange pygmy angelfish Hawaii. Centropyge flavipectoralis J. E. Randall & Klausewitz, 1977 Yellow-fin pygmy angelfishIndian OceanCentropyge flavissima (G. Cuvier, 1831) Lemon-peel pygmy angelfishIndo-Pacific regionCentropyge heraldi Woods & L. P. Schultz, 1953 Yellow pygmy angelfish Pacific Ocean Centropyge hotumatua J. E. Randall & D. K. Caldwell, 1973 Black-ear pygmy angelfishEastern Pacific: Austral (including Rapa), Pitcairn and Easter islands. Centropyge interrupta (S. Tanaka (I), 1918) Japanese pygmy angelfish Ogasawara Islands south of Japan. Centropyge joculator Smith-Vaniz & J. E. Randall, 1974 Yellow-head pygmy angelfishEastern Indian Ocean: Cocos and Christmas Islands. Centropyge loriculus (Günther, 1874) Flame pygmy angelfishReefs of Oceania, most common in Marshall, Line, and Cook Islands Centropyge multicolor J. E. Randall & Wass, 1974 Multicolor pygmy angelfishPacific Ocean Centropyge multispinis (Playfair, 1867) Dusky pygmy angelfishTropical waters of the Indo-Pacific Centropyge nahackyi Kosaki, 1989 Nahacky's pygmy angelfishEastern Central Pacific: Johnston Atoll. Strays reported from the Hawaiian Islands.Centropyge narcosis Pyle & J. E. Randall, 1993 Narc pygmy angelfish Cook Islands Centropyge nigriocellus Woods & L. P. Schultz, 1953 Black-spot pygmy angelfish Pacific Ocean near American Samoa; Cook Islands; Guam; Kiribati (Phoenix Is.); Marshall Islands; Federated States of Micronesia; Nauru; New Caledonia; Northern Mariana Islands; Papua New Guinea; Samoa; Tokelau; Tuvalu; United States Minor Outlying Islands (Howland-Baker Is., Johnston I., US Line Is.)Centropyge nox (Bleeker, 1853) Midnight pygmy angelfishWestern Pacific: Ryukyu Islands to Indonesia, the Solomon Islands, the Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia Centropyge potteri (D. S. Jordan & Metz, 1912) Russet pygmy angelfishJohnston Atoll and the Hawaiian Islands in the central Pacific Ocean Centropyge resplendens Lubbock & Sankey, 1975 Resplendent pygmy angelfish Ascension Island Centropyge shepardi J. E. Randall & Yasuda, 1979 Mango pygmy angelfishNorthern Marianas Islands, Guam, and the Ogasawara Islands. Centropyge tibicen (G. Cuvier, 1831)Key-hole pygmy angelfishIndo-Pacific Centropyge venusta (Yasuda & Tominaga, 1969) Purple-mask pygmy angelfishWestern PacificCentropyge vrolikii (Bleeker, 1853)Pearl-scale angelfishIndo-West Pacific areaCentropyge woodheadi Kuiter, 1998 Black-fin pygmy angelfish Southwestern Pacific: from the Great Barrier Reef to the Gambier archipelago.
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