The Northern Mariana Islands consists of 15 islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of two territories belonging to the United States having commonwealth status; the other is Puerto Rico. The islands had previously been under German and Japanese control. The United States took over the islands after World War II.
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Zanclus cornutus - The Moorish idol fish is widely distributed throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are closely related to the butterfly fish, also featuring a compressed body. The idol fish has several vertical black and white bands running from top to bottom and a slight yellow tinting along the tail. Their primary diet consists of sponges and coral polyps. As juveniles, they tend to form small schools, but as adults are usually found in breeding pairs. Idol fish pair for life, a feature not commonly found in fish.
