Dusky damselfish (Stegastes adustus)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Stegastes adustus
- Common name
- Dusky damselfish
- Category
- Fish
- Family
- Pomacentridae
- Genus
- Stegastes
- Size
- 8–15 cm
- Depth
- 1–5 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- reef, rocky
- Behaviours
- solitary, territorial, aggressive
- Ocean zones
- Caribbean, Eastern Pacific
Description
Stegastes adustus reaches 15 cm. Oval uniform dark-brown body, juveniles with a blue ocellus on the dorsal. Extremely territorial: actively farms an algal garden on a coral or rock patch and defends it aggressively against all intruders, sometimes charging divers. Prefers shallow Caribbean reefs and rocks down to 5 m. Significant ecological role: protecting its algae delays coral recolonization.
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Dusky damselfish?
- Dusky damselfish (Stegastes adustus) reaches 8–15 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Dusky damselfish?
- Dusky damselfish is found between 1–5 m deep.
- Is the Dusky damselfish dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Dusky damselfish?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Dusky damselfish?
- Found in: Caribbean, Eastern Pacific.
Other species in the genus Stegastes
- Stegastes partitus - Bicolor damselfish
- Stegastes diencaeus - Longfin damselfish
- Stegastes planifrons - Threespot damselfish
- Stegastes acapulcoensis - Acapulco damselfish
- Stegastes flavilatus - Beaubrummel damselfish
- Stegastes leucorus - White-tailed Damselfish
Other species in the family Pomacentridae
- Amphiprion ocellaris - False clownfish
- Chromis chromis - Mediterranean damselfish
- Amphiprion bicinctus - Two-band anemonefish
- Abudefduf saxatilis - Sergeant major (Atlantic)
- Chromis cyanea - Blue chromis
- Amphiprion akallopisos - Skunk clownfish
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 276659)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 2398897)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia