Holacanthus passer
species of fish
Holacanthus passer (king angelfish or passer angelfish) is a large reef dwelling marine angelfish of the family Pomacanthidae.
Distribution
The king angelfish is a non-migratory tropical fish that inhabits reefs in the eastern Pacific Ocean from the coast of Peru north to the Gulf of California, including offshore islands as far west as the Galapagos, generally at depth of 4–30 metres (13–98 ft).
Description
Adult king angelfish are generally about 35 cm in length. They have between 18 and 20 rays in their dorsal fin and each of their pectoral fins, and 17 to 19 in their anal fin. H. passer also possess a strong spike under their lower cheek for defense. King angelfish undergo significant changes in coloration as they mature. Juvenile king angelfish are primarily orange-yellow including the pectoral and pelvic fins, rounded dorsal and anal fins rimmed with iridescent blue, blue striping towards the posterior of their bodies, and an orange mask around the eye. Sexually mature king angelfish, on the other hand, have mostly brown or blue bodies (depending on the light), light yellow pectoral and pelvic fins, a yellow patch on the mouth, the same blue rimming around the dorsal and anal fins, and a yellow caudal tail. Adults have pointed anal and caudal rays and lack the juvenile trait of blue striping across the body. Instead, they have a white stripe laterally anterior to the head.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Holacanthus passer” is species of fish. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Holacanthus, passer and species, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “species of fish” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 5, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1722250. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
Scientific names, classifications and consensus can change while older terminology persists in catalogues and historical literature. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Holacanthus passer”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Holacanthus passer primary sources, Holacanthus passer archive and Holacanthus research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Holacanthus passer”?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Holacanthus passer” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.