| Whitetail dascyllus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Family: | Pomacentridae |
| Genus: | Dascyllus |
| Species: | D. aruanus |
| Binomial name | |
| Dascyllus aruanus | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Dascyllus aruanus, known commonly as the whitetail dascyllus or humbug damselfish among other vernacular names, is a species of marine fish in the family Pomacentridae. [1]
Whitetail dascyllus is up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in length but its common size is 6 centimetres (2.4 in) and is white with three black vertical bars. [2]
Associated with coral reefs, most usually in groups above Acropora coral heads. Males may be aggressive against other fish while they tend eggs. [2] It changes behavior by analyzing its surroundings - in environments where it cannot camouflage easily, it will begin moving erratically to "dazzle" any predator trailing it. In contrast, it will move slower in environments it can camouflage in. [3]
Whitetail dascyllus is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region, Red Sea included. [1] [4] However, the species has recently been split with D. aruanus found in the Pacific and Forsskål's 1775 name Dascyllus abudafur being resurrected for the Red Sea and Indian Ocean populations. [5]
They are called aquarium 'Starter fish' as they are quite tolerant of variable conditions and aid in conditioning the tank environment for less hardy fish. These fish have been reared in captivity. They can be territorial with other fish. The adult is quite aggressive.
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.
Chromis is a genus of fish in the family Pomacentridae. While the term damselfish describes a group of marine fish including more than one genus, Chromis is the largest genus of damselfishes. Certain species within the genus are common in the aquarium trade.
Dascyllus is a genus of fish in the family Pomacentridae. They are usually commensals with corals.
Plectorhinchus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae which is one of two subfamilies in the family Haemulidae which also includes the grunts. The species in this genus are found in fresh, brackish, and salt waters.
Fire corals (Millepora) are a genus of colonial marine organisms that exhibit physical characteristics similar to that of coral. The name coral is somewhat misleading, as fire corals are not true corals but are instead more closely related to Hydra and other hydrozoans, making them hydrocorals. They make up the only genus in the monotypic family Milleporidae.
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.
The threespot dascyllus, also known as the domino damsel or simply domino, is a species of damselfish from the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea and East Africa, to the Pitcairn Islands, southern Japan, and Australia, and can also be found in some parts of the Philippines. Its grey to black body has two lateral white spots and one between the eyes like domino hence the name; the threespot dascyllus grows up to 13 cm (5.1 in) in length. Coloration is somewhat variable; the spot on the forehead may be absent and the lateral spots very much reduced. It feeds on algae, copepods and other planktonic crustaceans.
Dascyllus melanurus, known commonly as the four stripe damselfish, blacktail dascyllus, humbug damselfish, blacktail damselfish, and blacktail humbug, is a species of fish in the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the western Pacific Ocean. It is sometimes kept as an aquarium pet.
Dascyllus reticulatus, known commonly as the reticulate dascyllus or two-stripe damselfish among other vernacular names, is a species of marine fish in the family Pomacentridae.
Chrysiptera taupou, known commonly as the southseas devil, southseas demoiselle, and Fiji damsel, is a species of damselfish. It is native to the western Pacific Ocean from the Coral Sea to Samoa.
Chrysiptera hemicyanea, known commonly as the azure damselfish, azure demoiselle, half-blue demoiselle, and yellow-dipped damsel, is a species of damselfish.
Neoglyphidodon nigroris, commonly known as the black-and-gold chromis or Behn's damsel is a species of damselfish found in the Indo-West Pacific. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It grows to a size of 13 centimetres (5.1 in) in total length.
The spiny chromis is a species of damselfish from the western Pacific. It is the only member of the genus Acanthochromis.
Chrysiptera starcki, commonly known as Starck's demoiselle, is a species of damselfish in the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the western Pacific Ocean, where it has been reported from the Ryukyu Islands and Taiwan to Australia, New Caledonia, and Tonga. It was originally described in 1973 as Abudefduf starcki.
Dascyllus marginatus is a damselfish endemic to the Western Indian Ocean. It is a site attached fish that lives in corals, usually Stylophora pistillata and species of Acropora. In these corals it hides at a moment of danger and sleeps at night. It feeds on zooplankton that drifts with the current, and grows to a size of 6 cm in length. Dascyllus marginatus lives in groups of 2-25 individuals, and while foraging for food around their home coral, group members keep separated and stable foraging spaces.
Dascyllus carneus, known commonly as the cloudy dascyllus or Indian dascyllus among other vernacular names, is a species of marine fish in the family Pomacentridae.
Pomacentrus chrysurus, the whitetail damselfish, is a species of damselfish in the family Pomacentridae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific. It can grow up to 9 centimetres (3.5 in). They are found at a depth range from 0 to 3 metres.
Dascyllus abudafur, the Indian Ocean humbug, is a species of ray-finned fish from the family Pomacentridae, the clownfishes and damselfishes. It is found from the Red Sea, along the coasts of eastern Africa to South Africa, the Seychelles, Comoros, Madagascar and Mascarene Islands east to the Sunda Islands. It has been classified as synonymous with the Pacific humbug Dascyllus aruanus and is not included in FishBase but studies have shown that the two taxa were shown to be genetically and morphologically different. The specific name is derived from the Arabic word for this species Abu-dafur Jabûd.
Plectroglyphidodon dickii, common name blackbar devil, Dick's damsel or narrowbar damselfish, is a species of damselfish in the family Pomacentridae. This species was formerly classified as Dascyllus aruanus, but recently the populations of western Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean have been split off.