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Majestic angelfish Pomacanthus navarchus
Photograph by Dagny Warmerdam
Fast facts
- Juveniles are black with light blue stripes
- Phase between juvenile and adult is rarely seen
The majestic angelfish is a tropical species and occurs on coral reefs in the “Indo-Pacific: Indonesia to Papua New Guinea, north to the Philippines, south to Rowley Shoals and the southern Great Barrier Reef; including Palau and Yap in Micronesia”, according to Fishbase.org.
Juveniles and adults are completely different colours: juveniles are black with light blue stripes, whereas adults are bright yellow with many blue spots.
The change in colouration between the stages is dramatic and the phase in between juvenile and adult is rarely seen.
They live at depths of between 3m and 40m and feed on sponges and sea squirts.