CENTROPYGE WOODHEADI - (KUITER, 1998)
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Acanthuriformes (Order) > Pomacanthidae (Family) > Centropyge (Genus)
Poisson-ange nain de Woodhead, Poisson-ange nain à nageoire noire, Blackfin pygmy angelfish, Woodhead angelfish,
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 15; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 17. Max. length: 12.0 cm TL. Depth range: 5 - 20 m.
Color
A bright yellow to yellowish-orange fish with a dusky olive patch surrounding yellowish-orange spots behind the eye with a black mark on the soft dorsal fin.
Etymology
Centropyge: from Greek, kentron = sting + from Greek, pyge = tail. Referring to his three anal-fin spines.
woodheadi: in honor of underwater photographer Phil Woodhead (b. 1956), who brought this species to Kuiter’s attention.
Original description: Centropyge woodheadi Kuiter, 1998 - Type locality: Maloa Island, Lau Group, Fiji, 18°35'S, 179°50'E, depth: 9 meters.
Distribution
Southern Pacific Ocean: Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia, Fiji to Gambier Archipelago.
Biology
Inhabits steep outer reef slopes, occasionally on lagoon reefs. Herbivorous. Hermaphrodite. Changes sex from female to male.
Similar speciesPoisson-ange nain de Woodhead, Poisson-ange nain à nageoire noire, Blackfin pygmy angelfish, Woodhead angelfish,
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 15; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 17. Max. length: 12.0 cm TL. Depth range: 5 - 20 m.
Color
A bright yellow to yellowish-orange fish with a dusky olive patch surrounding yellowish-orange spots behind the eye with a black mark on the soft dorsal fin.
Etymology
Centropyge: from Greek, kentron = sting + from Greek, pyge = tail. Referring to his three anal-fin spines.
woodheadi: in honor of underwater photographer Phil Woodhead (b. 1956), who brought this species to Kuiter’s attention.
Original description: Centropyge woodheadi Kuiter, 1998 - Type locality: Maloa Island, Lau Group, Fiji, 18°35'S, 179°50'E, depth: 9 meters.
Distribution
Southern Pacific Ocean: Great Barrier Reef, New Caledonia, Fiji to Gambier Archipelago.
Biology
Inhabits steep outer reef slopes, occasionally on lagoon reefs. Herbivorous. Hermaphrodite. Changes sex from female to male.
Acanthurus olivaceus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Acanthurus pyroferus (Kittlitz, 1834) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Centropyge cocosensis (Shen, Chang, Delrieu-Trottin & Borsa, 2016) - Reported from Eastern Indian Ocean: Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island.
Centropyge flavissima (Cuvier, 1831) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Centropyge heraldi (Woods & Schultz, 1953) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Last update: 29, October 2022