Centropyge joculator

Centropyge joculator, commonly known as the joculator angelfish, yellow head angelfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish belonging to the family Pomacanthidae. It is found in the central Pacific Ocean.

Centropyge joculator
Image of Centropyge joculator
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Acanthuriformes
Family:	Pomacanthidae
Genus:	Centropyge
Species:	C. joculator
Binomial name
Centropyge joculator (William F. Smith-Vaniz & John E. Randall, 1974)

Description

Centropyge joculator is a brightly colored angelfish that resembles the bicolor angelfish (Centropyge bicolor) but lacks the distinguishing vertical blue bar above the eye. In contrast, the joculator angelfish sports a blue ring around its eyes and the same electric blue coloration traces a thin outline along the edges of its dorsal and anal fins. This fish attains a maximum length of 9 centimetres (3.5 in).^[1]

Distribution

Centropyge joculator is found only in the Christmas Islands and Cocos-Keeling Islands in the Eastern Indian Ocean.

Habitat and biology

Centropyge joculator is found at depths between 10 and 70 metres (33 and 230 ft).^[2] This species lives in areas of rock, coral or rubble on seaward reefs. Juveniles are occasionally recorded in waters as shallow as 5 metres (16 ft). It is a benthopelagic species which feeds on algae and detritus. They may live in small social groups, harems with a single male and up to 4 females. They are protogynous hermaphrodites and if no male is present the dominant female will change sex.