Description

Dorsal spines (total): 14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 19 - 21; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 20 - 21. Tail and pectoral fins entirely yellow. Black spot on forehead has electric blue spots and is surrounded by narrow, electric blue ring. Large blue spot at base of pectoral fin (Ref. 26938). Adults develop short spines on the margin. The color of large adults is purplish blue with yellow-orange rims to the scales; head above eye dark blue, below greenish yellow; mouth, chin, throat, chest and abdomen purplish blue (Ref. 13442)

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Acanthuriformes

Family: Pomacanthidae

Genus: Holacanthus

Species: Holacanthus ciliaris (Linnaeus, 1758)

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Found on coral reefs. Generally occurs solitarily or in pairs. Moves gracefully between seafans, seawhips, and corals (Ref. 9710). Stomach contents of 26 specimens indicate that the species feeds almost exclusively on sponges supplemented by small amounts of algae, tunicates, hydroids and bryozoans. Young pick ectoparasites from other fishes (Ref. 9710). Marketed fresh (Ref. 3797).

Habitat

associated