Common Name: Keyhole Angelfish

Distribution: Common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Generally tropical Indo-Pacific, Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean to Fiji, and from southern Japan to New South Wales. In Australia recorded from central and northern Western Australia, Queensland and northern New South Wales including Lord Howe Island.

Ecological Notes: Prefers mixed coral and rubble areas coastal reefs, lagoons and shallow slopes to about 55 m depth. Juveniles found in coastal protected bays and estuaries.

Additional Notes: Easily identified by the dark blue almost black colouration with the large white spot on upper middle of side, yellow margin on anal fin. Large horizontal spine on corner of preopercle. Possibly the most common Angelfish in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Grows to about 19 cm.

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.222.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. http://fishbase.ca/summary/Centropyge-tibicen.html. Accessed 30/04/18.