The stunningly vivid and beautiful colors of the Emperor angelfish remind me of certain butterflyfish, though the angels are bigger and have a large spine on the lower corner of the gill plate. Found throughout the Indo-Pacific and in the Red Sea, this particular species is one of the largest angelfish of the 80-85 or so species, reaching a length of almost 16 inches (40 cm). The juveniles have a completely different look, with circular patterns of dark blue and white, resembling the juveniles of other angelfish species. As with most large angelfish, Emperor angelfish are benthic feeders, scraping algae with their powerful jaws from rocks and coral, supplemented with bits of sponge and small invertebrates. Adult emperors are capable of startling divers with a low-frequency "knocking" sound if disturbed. Identification: Pomacanthus imperator

related links:

Australian museum summary of the Emperor angelfish

more about the Emperor angelfish at Fishbase.org

fact sheet on the Emperor angelfish from Chicago's Shedd Aquarium

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