Species: Pomacanthus semicirculatus, Semicircle Angelfish

Pomacanthus semicirculatus (Cuvier, 1831)

Semicircle 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; gill rakers 4-5+13; dorsal fin un-notched, XIII, 21-23; anal rays III, 20-22; front soft rays of dorsal and anal fin both with filaments; tail fin rounded; body with large and small scales, irregularly arranged, very rough, with distinct ridges on the exposed part, ~75 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: brownish green, center of body paler; margins of all fins except pectorals blue; edges of cheek, gill cover and cheek spine blue; mouth yellow. Juvenile: dark blue, with thin white bars, those on rear body semicircular; tail fin dark, with white bars and white edge.

Size: to 35 cm.

Habitat: Protected coastal coral rich reefs; juveniles on shallow reefs mixed with sand.

Depth: 1-105 m.

Indo-central Pacific: introduced to southeast Florida.