Stegastes variabilis
| Cocoa damselfish | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | S. variabilis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Stegastes variabilis | |
The cocoa damselfish, Stegastes variabilis, is a damselfish in the family Pomacentridae, found on coral and rocky reefs in the Caribbean Sea and neighboring areas of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.
Adults feed mainly on benthic algae but also on sponges, ascidiacea and anemones while juvenile feed on invertebrates such as harpacticoid copepods and nemerteans.[2]
Description
The cocoa damselfish is an oval, laterally compressed fish and grows to about 12.5 centimetres (4.9 in) long. The top of the head and the snout bear several blue stripes. The top half of the body is generally dark blue or brown and the bottom half is yellow. There are two small black spots, one above the pectoral fins and the other on the top of the caudal peduncle. The large dorsal fin has 12 spines and 14 to 17 soft rays. The anal fin has 2 spines and 12 to 15 soft rays. The caudal fin is shallowly forked and has rounded lobes.[2]
Juveniles have a number of tiny blue spots and stripes on the head and upper part of the body, including 2 spots and a stripe on the upper iris. These regions also have a dusky blue sheen. There is a blue-rimmed black eyespot located where the dorsal fin spines join with the soft rays. A similar blue-rimmed spot is found at the top of the caudle peduncle and it extends down nearly as far as the lateral line. Older juveniles develop the characteristic blue and yellow coloration of the adult.[2]
References
- ^ Bailly, Nicolas (2010). "Stegastes variabilis (Castelnau, 1855)". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 2011-12-28.
- ^ a b c Stegastes variabilis on FishBase
External links
- Cocoa damselfish on Rock and Wreck Fishes of North Carolina
- ITIS page
 | This Pomacentridae article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |