Centropyge ferrugata

Centropyge ferrugata has a brownish-orange body marked with black spots on the upper flanks. The caudal, dorsal and anal fins have a bright blue margin.[2] The dorsal fin contains 14 spines and 17 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 17-18 soft rays. This species attains a maximum total length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in).[3]

Centropyge ferrugata is found in the western Pacific Ocean. Its range extends from Tanabe Bay southern Japan to southern Taiwan and the Philippines.[3]

Centropyge ferrugata is found at depths between 6 and 30 metres (20 and 98 ft).[1] it lives on seaward rocky reefs and in areas of rubble, particularly with dense algal growth. It is either a solitary species or lives in small groups.[3] It is frequently observed grazing on mats of filamentous algae.[1] It also eats detritus, coral polyps, sponges and small gastropods.[2] This species is a protogynous hermaphrodite, the dominant female in a group will change sex if there is no male. [4]

Centropyge ferrugata was first formally described in 1972 by John Ernest Randall (1924-2020) and Warren E. Burgess with the type locality given as a reef one half mile off the harbour of Ishigaki City, Ishigaki, Ryukyu Islands.[5] Within the genus Centropyge this species is considered, by some authorities, to be in the subgenus Centropyge.[6]

Centropyge ferrugata is found in the aquarium trade and it has been bred and successfully reared in captivity.[1]