What is the scientific name of the common freshwater angelfish kept in home aquariums?

The scientific name of the common freshwater angelfish is Pterophyllum scalare.

This South American cichlid is native to slow-moving rivers, floodplains and wetlands in the Amazon Basin and nearby river systems. Its tall, laterally compressed body and elongated fins help it move among aquatic plants and submerged roots.

Pterophyllum scalare is one of the most familiar freshwater aquarium cichlids. Captive breeding has produced many color and fin varieties, while wild fish usually show silver coloration with dark vertical bands.

The name is sometimes confused with Pterophyllum altum, the deep-bodied altum angelfish, and Pterophyllum leopoldi, another species in the genus. Angelfish are cichlids, not marine angelfish, which belong to the unrelated family Pomacanthidae.