Regal Angelfish

Pygoplites diacanthus

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Chaetodontiformes
Family: Pomacanthidae
Genus: Pygoplites
Species: Pygoplites diacanthus

The regal angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus) is one of the most colourful angelfish, with bold orange-yellow and white, black-edged bars across its body and a blue and yellow dorsal fin.

It reaches about 25 cm and is usually seen alone or in pairs near caves and overhangs, where it feeds mainly on sponges and tunicates. It is shy and tends to slip into cover when divers approach.

The regal angelfish is found throughout the Indo-Pacific, including the Philippines, where it is common on coral-rich reefs and walls.