DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

ZOOGEOGRAPHY

ECOLOGY

BIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR

VALUE OF FISH RESOURCES

CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT

DANGEROUS MARINE FISHES

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

BIBLIOGRAPHY

SPECIES INDEX

CHAMORRO NAMES

POMACANTHIDAE (ANGELFISHES)

Centropyge shepardi Randall and Yasuda
(Shepard’s Angelfish; Ababang)
SL: to 7 cm (photo: 6 m SL, Gun Beach, 30 m)

This is the most abundant angelfish on outer reef slopes from depths of 20 to 56 m.  It has also been observed on rare occasions on lagoon reefs (Luminao Reef and Apra Harbor) from 1 to 18 m.  It prefers areas of mixed dead and living coral with numerous small holes and passages.  It is quite variable in coloration: the ground color can range from almost red to light apricot and the barring can be reduced to a small, diffuse patch behind the operculum.  Two much rarer Centropyge species superficially resemble C. shepardi.  C. loriculus is crimson, rather than orange, and possesses five relatively large, black bars on each side.  C. bispinosus is highly variable in coloration, but its ground color grades into a deep purplish-blue on the head and over most of the dorsal, anal, and caudal (tail) fins.  Both of these species occur on outer reef slopes, and an individual of the latter species, unable to find a mate of its own kind, has been observed spawning with C. shepardi.

Known only from the Marianas, Bonins, and Izus.