Melanin consist of oligomers or polymers arranged in a disordered manner which among other functions provide the pigments of many organisms. Melanin pigments are produced in a specialized group of cells known as melanocytes. They have been described as "among the last remaining biological frontiers with the unknown".
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.
Stegastes is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Pomacentridae. Members of this genus are marine coastal fishes except for S. otophorus, which also occurs in brackish water. These fish are known by the names of damselfish, gregory and major. They are small tropical fish associated with coral and rocky reefs in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are sometimes found in the aquarium trade where they are an easy-to-keep fish, but they do not mix well with other fish of their own or other species because of their territorial habits and aggressiveness.
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 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 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 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 imbricatus, commonly called the Cape Verde gregory, is a damselfish of the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the tropical eastern Atlantic Ocean.
Stegastes leucorus, commonly known as the whitetail damselfish, the whitetail gregory or the whitetail major, is a damselfish of the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean.
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.
Stegastes apicalis, commonly known as the Japanese gregory, is a damselfish of the family Pomacentridae.
Stegastes arcifrons, the island major or Galapagos gregory, is a damselfish of the family Pomacentridae native to the eastern Pacific Ocean. Its range extending from Costa Rica to the Cocos Islands, Malpelo Island, and the Galapagos Islands. It is found on rocky and coral reefs at depths ranging from 1 to 20 m. It is common in many parts of its range, and its population appears to be stable. No particular threats have been identified, and the IUCN rates it as being of "Least Concern".
Stegastes aureus, the golden gregory, is a damselfish of the family Pomacentridae native to islands in the tropical Pacific Ocean, its range including New Caledonia, the Gilbert Islands, Line Island, Phoenix Island, Samoa, the Tuamotu Archipelago, and the Marquesas Islands. It is found on coral reefs at depths ranging from 1 to 5 m.
Stegastes rectifraenum, commonly known as the Cortez damselfish or Cortez gregory, is a damselfish of the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean, its range including Baja California in Mexico, and the Gulf of California. It is found on rocky inshore reefs at depths ranging from 1 to 10 m.
Stegastes flavilatus, commonly known as beaubrummel, is a damselfish of the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean, its range extends from Mexico, Baja California and the Gulf of California southwards to the Galapagos Islands and mainland Ecuador. It is found on rocky inshore reefs at depths ranging from 1 to 10 m.
Stegastes punctatus, commonly known as the blunt snout gregory, is a damselfish of the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific region where it is found at depths down to 5 m (16 ft). Its range extends from the East African coast and the Red Sea to the Line Islands, the Society Islands, the Ryukyu Islands, the Bonin Islands, New Caledonia, Tonga and Micronesia. It is a very territorial species and drives other fish away from its "garden" of filamentous algae.
Stegastes redemptus, commonly known as the clarion major, clarion damselfish or clarion gregory, is a damselfish of the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean, its range extending from the Revillagigedo Islands to the coast of Baja California. It is found on rocky reefs at depths ranging from 1 to 15 m.
Stegastes rocasensis, commonly known as the Rocas gregory, is a damselfish of the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the tropical West Atlantic Ocean where it is found at depths between 2 and 10 m. It is known only from the coast of Brazil including the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago.
Stegastes pelicieri, commonly known as the Mauritian gregory, is a damselfish of the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the islands of Mauritius and Réunion in the western Indian Ocean where it is found at depths between two and twenty metres. It lives on rocky reefs in areas with little coral but plenty of holes and crevices.
Centriscus cristatus, also known as the smooth razorfish or wafer shrimpfish, is the largest member of the family Centriscidae of the order Syngnathiformes. It is found in the eastern Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.
