ANGEL-FISH, the popular name for several widely differing species of fishes, including (a) Squatina squatina, also called the monk fish, an Elasmobranch allied to the sharks and found in tropical and sub-tropical seas, including the Mediterranean. It takes its name from the large wing-like pectoral fins and reaches a length of 4 feet. (b) In Bermuda, Chaetodont fishes of the genus Holocanthus, especially H. ciliaris; these fishes are later ally compressed and brilliantly coloured. They haunt coral reefs.
H. ciliaris may reach a weight of 4 lb. and is delicious eating.
Various species of Holocanthus occur on the west coast of trop ical America from Cape San Lucas to the Galapagos islands, in the East Indies, Japan and Polynesia. In this same family (Cliaetondontidae) the American genus Pomacanthus is also known as the angel fish. Chaetodipterus faber, sometimes called spade fish, is also known as the angel fish. It occurs from Cape Cod to Rio de Janeiro. A very similar species occurs on the west coast of Mexico. Certain varieties of porgy are also given this name and constitute a favourite dish along the south-east shores of the United States.