Yellowbar Angelfish

Pomacanthus maculosus, commonly known as the yellowbar angelfish, is a marine angelfish species that belongs to the family Pomacanthidae. It is primarily found in the western 🌊 Indian Ocean and has more recently been observed in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

The yellowbar angelfish has a deep and compressed body with a small mouth that is equipped with small bristle-like teeth. Notably, it has a spine at the angle of the preoperculum. Adult individuals have filaments extending from the soft-rayed parts of the dorsal and anal fins, which reach past the caudal fin. The general background color of adults is a brownish blue, with each scale having a blue margin that gives the impression of predominately blue coloration. Additionally, there is an uneven, yellow bar close to the center of the flanks, accompanied by vertically elongated dark blue spots towards the head. The caudal fin displays wavy, blue lines against a pale yellow background. Juveniles, on the other hand, are mainly black and marked with arched, vertical blue lines, as well as three broader white lines. Only the rear third of the caudal fin is yellow. In terms of fin structure, this species has 12-13 spines and 21 soft rays in the dorsal fin, and 3 spines and 19-20 soft rays in the anal fin. Yellowbar angelfish can reach a maximum total length of 50 cm (20 in).

The distribution of Pomacanthus maculosus extends to the 🌊 Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and 🌊 Gulf of Oman. Since 2008, it has been occasionally recorded in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, although these instances are rare. There have also been records of this species off the coasts of Florida and 🇧🇷 Brazil, which are believed to be the result of deliberate releases from aquariums.

Yellowbar angelfish inhabit depths ranging from 4 to 50 meters (13 to 164 ft) and are solitary residents of sheltered areas with a mix of coral and silt. They primarily feed on sponges and tunicates, but they will opportunistically consume other invertebrates. Females become sexually mature at around 5.5 years of age and a total length of 21.6 cm (8.5 in). The maximum recorded lifespan for this species is approximately 36 years. Divers have observed that yellowbar angelfish are not shy and display curious behavior. They are also protogynous hermaphrodites, with older females changing sex and transitioning into males when there is a shortage of males. The larvae of this species are planktonic.

Pomacanthus maculosus was first formally described in 1775 by Peter Forsskål, a Finnish-born Swede, under the name Chaetodon maculosus. The type locality is Al-Luhayya in 🇾🇪 Yemen. Some authorities classify this species under the subgenus Arusetta. The specific name maculosus refers to either the blue spots on the scales or the large yellow blotch present on the fish.

While not commonly collected, the yellowbar angelfish is occasionally sought after for the aquarium trade. Fish markets in certain areas of the Persian Gulf have recorded this species as well.