Pomacentridae is a family of ray-finned fish, comprising the damselfishes and clownfishes. This family were formerly placed in the order Perciformes but are now regarded as being incertae sedis in the subseries Ovalentaria in the clade Percomorpha. They are primarily marine, while a few species inhabit freshwater and brackish environments. They are noted for their hardy constitutions and territoriality. Many are brightly colored, so they are popular in aquaria.
Damselfish are those within the subfamilies Abudefdufinae, Chrominae, Lepidozyginae, Pomacentrinae, and Stegastenae within the family Pomacentridae. Most species within this group are relatively small, with the largest species being about 30cm in length. Most damselfish species exist only in marine environments, but a few inhabit brackish or fresh water. These fish are found globally in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters.
Stegastes nigricans, the dusky farmerfish, is a species of damselfish found around coral reefs at a depth of one to 12 meters, in tropical climates between 30°S and 30°N. They are known for farming monocultures of algae such as cyanophores and rhodophytes.
The Indo-Pacific sergeant is a species of damselfish in the family Pomacentridae. It may also be known as the Sergeant major although this name is usually reserved for the closely related species Abudefduf saxatilis. The closely related Abudefduf caudobimaculatus was formerly considered to be synonymous with this species and, according to some authorities, is synonymous.
Stegastes variabilis, commonly known as the Brazilian cocoa damselfish, is a species of damselfish in the family Pomacentridae, found on coral reefs in the western Atlantic Ocean and off Brazil. They are often solitary fish.
The spiny chromis is a species of damselfish from the western Pacific. It is the only member of the genus Acanthochromis.
Pomacentrus moluccensis, the lemon damselfish, is a species of bony fish in the family Pomacentridae, from the Western Pacific Ocean. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It grows to a size of 9 cm (4 in) in length.
Stegastes planifrons is a damselfish from the Western Atlantic. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade.
Stegastes pictus, the yellowtip damselfish, is a species of damselfish found near the sea bed on shallow rocky reefs off the coast of Brazil, where it is endemic. It is a small, laterally-compressed, dark brown fish with yellow pectoral and caudal fins. It feeds on algae and detritus and is often found in the vicinity of the fire coral Millepora alcicornis. It is a territorial fish and forms a pair bond in the breeding season. The eggs are laid in a shallow scoop on the seabed and the male tends them to keep them well-aerated.
Stegastes leucostictus is a species of damselfish found near the sea bed in shallow waters on the western fringes of the Atlantic Ocean. It is commonly known as the beau gregory or beaugregory.
Stegastes fuscus, the dusky damselfish, is a species of bony fish in the family Pomacentridae found near the seabed in shallow waters on the western fringes of the Atlantic Ocean.
Stegastes partitus or the bicolor damselfish is a species of bony fish in the family Pomacentridae found near the sea bed on shallow rocky and coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and off the coasts of Florida.
Stegastes beebei, is a species of damselfish found on coral and rocky reefs at depths between 0 and 15 m. They are somewhat territorial, and chase away small intruders. They are omnivorous, grazing on algae and nibbling at small crustaceans and the tentacles of anemones. They are oviparous, with distinct pairing during breeding. The eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate. Males guard and aerate the eggs.
Stegastes albifasciatus, known commonly as the whitebar gregory or white-banded gregory, is a damselfish of the family Pomacentridae native to the western Indo-Pacific. Its range extends from the Seychelles and Réunion to the Ryukyu Islands, the Tuamoto Islands, and New Caledonia, where it is found on reef flats, reef margins and lagoons on patches of rubble or reef rock with live corals, particularly in areas of moderate water movement.
Stegastes apicalis, commonly known as the Australian gregory or yellowtip gregory, is a damselfish of the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the Western Pacific where it occurs on the east coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland and New South Wales. It has also been reported from Taiwan and Ouvéa Island in the Loyalty Islands.
Stegastes fasciolatus, commonly called the Pacific gregory, is a species of damselfish in the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the tropical western Indo-Pacific. It feeds on filamentous algae.
Stegastes acapulcoensis, commonly called the Acapulco major, the Acapulco damselfish, or the Acapulco gregory, is a species of damselfish of the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the eastern Pacific Ocean.
Amblyglyphidodon flavilatus, known as yellow damselfish, yellowfin damselfish, yellow flank damselfish, yellow side damselfish, and yellow-sided Damselfish, is part Pomacentridae, which is a family of ray-finned fish including damselfish and clownfish. This family represents the greatest diversity and abundance of fish species inhabiting coral reefs. They were first discovered in the 1980s by Allen and Randall.
Abudefduf conformis is a species of damselfish in the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the eastern central Pacific Ocean, where it is known from the Marquesas Islands. The species typically occurs in reef environments at a depth of 0 to 12 m.
Stegastes xanthurus, also known as the Caribbean cocoa damselfish, is a species of 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.
