Species: Pomacanthus arcuatus, Gray Angelfish

Pomacanthus arcuatus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Gray Angelfish

Deep, almost circular, compressed body; head deep, snout short; mouth small, with brush-like teeth; preopercle with a large spine at its angle, with vertical margin smooth; bone between preopercle and operculum without spines; bone under eye without large, rear-pointing spines; dorsal fin un-notched, IX, 31-33; anal rays III, 23-25; front soft rays of dorsal and anal fin with filaments; tail fin W-shaped in adult; body with large and small scales, irregularly arranged, very rough, with distinct ridges on the exposed part, >70 lateral scales; scales extend out onto the median fins; without "axillary process" (an enlarged scale) at the base of the pelvic fins; lateral line complete.

Adult: greyish; large body scales with dark centers and pale edges; pectoral with outer base grey, inside base yellow; tail with pale rear margin. Juvenile: black, with 3 yellow bars on head and body, base of tail fin yellow, center black, rear of fin transparent; center of forehead with a yellow line forms an inverted cross, continuing down across mouth to chin, with side branches down rear sides of mouth.

Size: to 60 cm.

Habitat: on reefs and rocky areas; juveniles common in seagrass beds.

Depth: 1-101 m.

New York to Brazil.