Tag Archive: damselfishes


9-18-18 Yellowtail Reeffish Caribbean

Filed under: CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
September 17, 2018

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Pomacentridae (Damselfishes)

Genus/species: Chromis enchrysura

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Max length : 10.0 cm (4 inches)

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Native to Western Atlantic: through the Caribbean Sea to southern Brazil. Found among steep slopes and outer patch reefs.. Depth range 5 – 146 m (16-480 ft)

REPRODUCTION: Oviparous, pairs during breeding. Eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate. Males guard and aerate the eggs.

CONSERVATION: IUCN Least Concern

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium, Caribbean Reef 2018

IUCN www.iucnredlist.org/details/summary/188315/0

fishbase  https://www.fishbase.de/summary/Chromis-enchrysura.html

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12-13-17 Garibaldi from Ron’s California Coastal Marine Series

Filed under: TEMPERATE MARINE — Leave a comment
December 13, 2017

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Pomacentridae (Damselfishes) They resemble the related cichlids and, like them, have a single nostril on each side of the head (most fishes have 2 nostrils on each side) and have interrupted lateral lines. They have a round to oval compressed body. Damselfishes have two anal spines (usually 3 in perch like species). Many species are brilliantly colored, often in shades of red, orange, yellow, or blue; most do not exceed a length of about 15 cm (6 inches).

Genus/species: Hypsypops rubicundus

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Adults are perched-shaped and brilliant orange with green eyes. Young Garibaldi are even more colorful with bright blue spots on a reddish-orange body. Normally propels itself withers pectoral fins.

Length approximately 38 cm (15 in) in length (weight 2 pounds in nature)

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Monterey Bay, California to southern Baja California, Mexico among rocky bottom reefs and kelp beds,intertidal to more than 30 m (100 ft). Often near crevices and caves.

DIET IN THE WILD: Diurnal consumers of sponges, bryozoans, anemones and worms.

MORTALITY: Lives to at least 25 years.

PREDATION: Bald Eagles at Santa Catalina Island eat them.

CONSERVATION: IUCN LEAST CONCERN

REPRODUCTION: Oviparous, pairs during breeding with eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate. Males guard and aerate the eggs.

 

REMARKS: H. rubicundus is the official marine fish of the State of California. Common name is a reference to the redshirts worn by the armies of Giuseppe Garibaldi, a fighter for Italian unification.

In California it is illegal to catch tis species. they must be released alive.

Disturbed specimens will emit thumping sounds audible to divers.

The California State freshwater fish is the golden trout (Salmo agua-bonita, native only to California). It was found only in a few streams in the icy headwaters of the Kern River, south of Mount Whitney, before transplanting to other CA. locations.

References

California Academy of Sciences, Steinhart Aquarium, Giants and Southern California exhibits 2017

Ron’s flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/8160274463/in/album-72157633391356187/

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink: wp.me/p1DZ4b-Rt

Pacific Coast Fishes Eschmeyer, Herald and Hammann page 233-4

More Than You Want To Know About The Fishes of the Pacific Coast, Milton Love 1996 pages 279-281

 

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6-7-17 False Clownfish aka Nemo from Ron’s Animal Attraction Series

Filed under: ANIMAL ATTRACTIONS, CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
June 7, 2017

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order:Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Pomacentridae (Damselfishes, Chromis, Aneomonefishes)
Subfamily: Amphiprioninae (anemonefishes)

Genus/species: Amphiprion ocellaris

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Adults are orange with three broad vertical white bands with thin black margins. Females are larger than males. Similar to the Clown Anemonefish (Amphiprion percula) but has 11 spines in the dorsal fin compared to 10, while the spiny part of the dorsal fin is also taller.

Length up to 9 cm (3.5 inches)

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Found among tropical Pacific Ocean coral reefs. They sleep and feed among the tentacles of their host anemone. Stichodactyla gigantea, Stichodactyla mertensi, as well as the anemone Heteractis magnifica and others. The False Clownfish is usually found at depths of about 15 m (50 ft).

(Amphiprion ocellaris) aka FALSE CLOWNFISH

DIET IN THE WILD: Feeds primarily on zooplankton, especially copepods and also on filamentous algae.

REPRODUCTION: A. ocellaris breeds continuously at the Steinhart. Adhesive eggs are laid on a patch of cleared rock near the host anemone’s base and guarded by the male. Eggs hatch after 10 days. The tiny transparent planktonic larvae swim away from the anemone. Two weeks later the larvae metamorphose into small fish. As protandrous hermaphrodites; all individuals mature as males, and all females are sex-reversed males. In the absence of a female the largest male will turn into a female.

Longevity: Up to 12 years in captivity

REMARKS:  Clownfish and anemone display a classic case of mutualism. Clownfish become resistant to their host by gradually (matter of minutes to days) acquiring a covering of mucus
by brushing against the tentacles of their host. Once the fish has become chemosensorilly camouflaged, the host anemone’s nematocysts do not sting the clownfish.

Some of the anemone’s nutrition results from the clownfish’s activities; clownfish gain protection among the anemone’s nematocysts.

Nemo and his parents in Finding Nemo resemble this species. That said, Marlin, Nemo’s father, given the scenario would have changed into a female following the death of Nemo’s mother and remained near his host anemone, rather than swimming to Sydney. But then the film makers wouldn’t have a narrative to support this film! The name “Nemo” has found its way into FishBase (http://www.fishbase.org) as a common name for this species in the USA!        

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine coral reef 2016

Animal Diversity Web  animaldiversity.org/accounts/Amphiprion_ocellaris/

fishbase  fishbase.org/summary/Amphiprion-ocellaris.html

Flickr  http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157608339622313/

WordPress shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-mp

 

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5-6-16 Green Chromis aka Blue Green Chromis from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
May 6, 2016

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Pomacentridae (Damselfishes)
Subfamily: Pomacentrinae

Genus/species: Chromis viridis

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Adults are iridescent apple-green and light blue. Courting males develop blackish dorsal rays and upper pectoral rays. Caudal fin deeply forked with very long, trailing tips.

Length up to 9 cm (3.5inches)

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Indo-Pacific.among reef flats, shallow lagoons, sheltered seaward reefs to 12 m (39 ft). Huge aggregations above branching corals, often well above the bottom. Swarms of juveniles occur above smaller isolated coral heads.

DIET IN THE WILD: Plankton.

REPRODUCTION: Oviparous, with distinct pairing during breeding. Elliptical demersal eggs are guarded by the male.

PREDATORS: In sunlight C. viridis blends with the blue of the water. In UV light it glows allowing individuals to see each other but remain invisible to most predators.

CONSERVATION: IUCN Red List Not Evaluated

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium  Philippine Coral Reef and Defenses Cluster 2016

Ron’s flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157608339622313/with/5268900171/

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-Gg

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5-3-16 Blacktail Damselfish from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, INDO-PACIFIC, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
May 3, 2016

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Pomacentridae (Damselfishes)

Genus/species: Dascyllus melanurus

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Deep and compressed body; white with three black bars, rear two-thirds of tail is black; large white spot between eyes extends to lips. Pectoral fins transparent.

Length up to 8 cm (3 inches)

4436800067_8a0581806e_o

 

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Blacktail Damselfish are found in the Western Pacific among branching corals in inshore and lagoon reefs to 68 m (210 ft).

DIET IN THE WILD: Omnivore; feeds on plankton, including larval shrimps and crabs, algae, ostracods, amphipods, pelagic tunicates, copepods, and fish eggs.

Dascyllus melanurus4437575636_cc28be23c1_b

REPRODUCTION: The Blacktail Damselfish is oviparous, with distinct pairing during breeding  The eggs are demersal and adhering  to the substrate  Males guard and aerate the eggs. Recent research suggests this species is a protogynous hermaphrodite.

CONSERVATION: IUCN Red List Not Evaluated

REMARKS: They hide among Acropora branching corals when threatened, though adults have an aggressive temperament.

References

California Academy of Sciences Philippine coral reef and Defenses Cluster 2016

Ron’s flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/4436800067/in/album-72157608339622313/

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink: http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-G1 

fishbase  www.fishbase.se/summary/Dascyllus-melanurus.html

EOL eol.org/pages/211713/details

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5-1-16 Spine-Cheek Anemonefish from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, INDO-PACIFIC, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
May 1, 2016

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Pomacentridae (Damselfishes)

Genus/species: Premnas biaculeatus

Female below

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Juveniles orange-colored; color deepens with age. Male smaller, bright red with three brilliant white bars, sometimes barely visible. Female becomes maroon or almost black with subdued bars. Note the conspicuous spine on cheek below the eye.

 Length to 17 cm (6.75 inches). 

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Indo-West Pacific: Indo-Australian Archipelago including India, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia,Philippines, New Guinea New Britain, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and northern Queensland, Australia.  Premnas biaculeatus is found in lagoons and seaward reefs, 1–16 m (3.25-52.5 ft) exclusively with the sea anemone Entacmaea quadricolor. They are usually in pairs.

DIET IN THE WILD: Zooplankton and algae.

REPRODUCTION: Oviparous. Males and females guard and aerate the eggs. Protandrous hermaphrodite, In the case of the death of the female, the second largest changes from male to female. Size difference is maintained in order to avoid subordinates becoming a threat to the highest ranking male.; female is to about 2–3 times the size of her male partner.

LIFESPAN: 6 to 10 years in the wild.

PREDATORS: Wrasses

CONSERVATION: IUCN: Not evaluated

REMARKS: P. biaculeatus has a mutualist relationship with Entacmaea quadricolor. The anemone benefits from having spinecheek anemonefish protect them from butterflyfishes, which feed on their tentacles. P. biaculeatus also clean away debris and parasites from the anemone. Spinecheek anemonefish are protected from most fish by the venomous anemones tentacles which do not injure the anemone fish.

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine Coral Reef 2016

ADW  http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Premnas_biaculeatus/

fishbase http://www.fishbase.org/summary/Premnas-biaculeatus.html

eol  http://eol.org/pages/211316/details

Ron’s flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157608339622313/with/3342653723/

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-FU

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4-28-16 False Clownfish aka Nemo from Ron’s tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, INDO-PACIFIC, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
April 28, 2016

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Pomacentridae (Damselfishes)
Subfamily: Amphiprioninae (anemonefishes)

Genus/species: Amphiprion ocellaris

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Length to 9 cm (3.5 inches). Adults are orange with three broad vertical white bands, thin black margins on fins. Female larger than male. Similar to the Clown Anemonefish (Amphiprion percula) but has 11 spines in the dorsal fin compared to 10, while the spiny part of the dorsal fin is also taller.

Length up to 9 cm (3.5 inches)

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Tropical Pacific Ocean among Coral reefs sleeping and feeding among the tentacles of their host anemones Stichodactyla gigantea, Stichodactyla mertensi, as well as the anemone Heteractis magnifica. The False Clownfish is usually found at depths of about 15 metres (50 ft).

DIET IN THE WILD:  Feeds primarily on zooplankton, especially copepods and also on filamentous algae.

REPRODUCTION: A. ocellaris breeds continuously at the Steinhart. Adhesive eggs are laid on a patch of cleared rock near the host anemone’s base and guarded by the male. Eggs hatch after 10 days. The tiny transparent planktonic larvae swim away from the anemone. Two weeks later the larvae metamorphose into small fish. As protandrous hermaphrodites; all individuals mature as males, and all females are sex-reversed males. In the absence of a female the largest male will turn into a female.

26696450165_4b73a224b7_k

Longevity: Up to 12 years in captivity

CONSERVATION: IUCN Red List Not Evaluated

REMARKS. Clownfish and anemone display a classic case of mutualism. Clownfish become resistant to their host by gradually (matter of minutes to days) acquiring a covering of mucus by brushing against the tentacles of their host. Once the fish has become chemosensorilly camouflaged, the host anemone’s nematocysts do not sting the clownfish.

Some of the anemone’s nutrition results from the clownfish’s activities; clownfish gain protection among the anemone’s nematocysts.

Nemo and his parents in Finding Nemo resemble this species. That said, Marlin, Nemo’s father, given the scenario would have changed into a female following the death of Nemo’s mother and remained near his host anemone, rather than swimming to Sydney. But then the film makers wouldn’t have a narrative to support this film! The name “Nemo” has found its way into FishBase as a common name for this species in the USA!

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine coral reef 2016

Animal Diversity Web animaldiversity.org/accounts/Amphiprion_ocellaris/

fishbase.org/summary/Amphiprion-ocellaris.html

Ron’s flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157608339622313/with/3380825084/

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-FJ

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4-27-16 Pink Clownfish and Magnificent Anemone from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, INDO-PACIFIC, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
April 27, 2016

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Pomacentridae (Damselfishes)

Genus/species: Amphiprion perideraion

 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Pinkish-orange coloration varies in saturation of color by individual. Distinctive narrow white head bar, narrow white dorsal stripe from eyes to tail.

Length: Up to 10 cm or 4 inches in length

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Indonesia to Marshall Islands Southwest Japan to northwest Australia. Found in coral reefs from 3–30 m (10-100 ft).  They pursue a symbiotic life with at least 4 anemone species but most commonly with the large (to 1 m or 3.2 ft. diameter) mature magnificent sea anemone (Heteractis magnifica). Also associates with Heteractis crispa, Macrodactyla doreensis and Stichodactyla gigantea.

DIET IN THE WILD: Zooplankton, primarily copepods, as well as filamentous algae.

REPRODUCTION: Protandrous hermaphrodites. Like all anemonefishes, sex and growth are controlled by the dominant female. Elliptical eggs are laid on rocks close under the host anemone’s mantle. The male fish guards the eggs. Upon hatching the larvae drift in the plankton.

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine Coral Reef 2016

Ron’ flickr  http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157608339622313/with/4689320711/

Arkive  www.arkive.org/pink-anemonefish/amphiprion-perideraion/

fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/2024

Australia Museum australianmuseum.net.au/pink-anemonefish-amphiprion-perid…

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink: http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-FB

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10-31-13 Goldbelly Damselfish From Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
October 31, 2013

TAXONOMY
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Pomacentridae (Damselfishes)

Genus/species Pomacentrus auriventris

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Neon-blue head and upper body, yellow lower and rear body, anal and tail fins. Length to 5.5 cm ( 2 inches).

Goldbelly Damselfish 4770698270_7ccdac2124_b

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Western Central Pacific: Found on inner coral reef slopes with mixed rubble, coral and algae. depth range 6 – 35 feet (2 – 11 m).

DIET IN THE WILD: Omnivore.

REPRODUCTION: Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding. Eggs are demersal (just above the sea bed) and adhere to the substrate.. Males guard and aerate the eggs

CONSERVATION: Not evaluated.

Ref. fishbase, EOL. Reef Fish Identification, Tropical Pacific, Allen et at.2003.

Philippine Coral Reef PR04

flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/4770698270/in/set-72157608339622313

WordPress Shortlink http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-19p

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10-30-13 Yellow-tail Blue Damselfish From Ron’s Tropical Reef Series

Filed under: INDO-PACIFIC, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
October 30, 2013

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Pomacentridae (Damselfish)

Genus/species: Chrysiptera parasema

GENERAL APPEARANCES:: Small, blue-bodied fish with a yellow tail; 7–9 cm (2.75 – 3.5 inches) long. Colors become less contrasting with age.

Yellow-tail Blue Damselfish 4533756786_58d0151ab2_o

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Western Pacific in coral-rich areas of sheltered lagoon and inshore coral reefs. Inhabits rubble beds on lagoon reefs to 16 meters (52 feet) deep. Occurs in small groups on Acropora patches.

DIET IN THE WILD: Omnivore.

REPRODUCTION: Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding. Eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate.

Ref: fishbase, EOL, Reef Fish Identification, Tropical pacific, Allen et al. 2003

Philippine Coral Reef PR04

flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157608339622313/with/4533756786/

WordPress Shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-19h

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