Atlantic Sergeant Major
Abudefduf saxatilis
Reticulate dascyllus
Dascyllus reticulatus
About
A tiny, tough reef damselfish, popular in aquariums for how easily it copes with new surroundings. In the wild it clusters by the hundreds over a single branching coral head.
Also known as: reticulate dascyllus, reticulated damselfish, gray humbug, reticulate dascyllus, twostriped damselfish, reticulated puller, reticulated humbug, marginate damselfish, reticulated dascyllus, reticulated damselfish, gray humbug, reticulated dascyllus, head-band humbug, reticulated humbug
- Length
- 9 cm
- Depth
- up to 50 m
How to tell it apart
It can be confused with other small, barred damselfish. The giveaway is having just two body bars plus a blue-green tail - similar dascyllus species show a third bar or lack that tail colour.
Appearance
This small fish reaches about 9 cm. Its body is pale grey to whitish, with a greenish snout and forehead. It has two dark vertical bars across the body, one bolder near the front and one fainter behind, and a blue-green tail. The pelvic fins are mostly black and the pectoral fins are clear with a small dark spot at the base.
Did you know?
DNA studies show fish in the north of its range are closer kin to a different damselfish than to fish from its own southern range.
Log it in Into the Blue
Describe what you saw and we name it, then keep every species you find in your Oceandex.
