Genus: Holacanthus, Angelfishes

HOLACANTHUS

ANGELFISHES

Deep compressed body; a short, blunt snout; mouth small, with brush-like teeth; preopercle with a large spine at its angle, with vertical margin serrated; bone between preopercle and operculum with 1-4 large spines; bone under eye without large, rear-pointing spines; dorsal fin un-notched, XIV, 17-21; dorsal and anal fins end in filaments; tail straight; large (< 50 in lateral series) regularly arranged, very rough scales with distinct ridges on the exposed part, scales extend out onto the median fins; without "axillary process" (an enlarged scale) at the base of the pelvic fins; lateral line ends under rear of soft dorsal fin; juveniles differently colored from adults.

A tropical genus that occurs on both sides of the Atlantic as well as the eastern Pacific; with 11 species, 3 of which are endemic to our region.