Jewel Damsel

Stegastes lacrymatus

Green-brown to brown with blue spots. Yellow iris.

Size : 11 cm

Habitat : In clear lagoons and outer reefs, 1-40 m. Very territorial, aggressively defends a small territory where blanket-weed algae grows on hard ground. Also undismayed by divers. Apart from algae from its “garden”, it also feeds on small invertebrates and fish eggs.

Distribution : Red Sea and East Africa to SW Japan, Marshall Islands and French Polynesia.

Classification

KINGDOM

:

Animalia

PHYLUM

:

Chordata

CLASS

:

Actinopterygii

ORDER

:

Cichliformes

FAMILY

:

Pomacentridae

GENUS

:

Stegastes

SPECIES

:

Stegastes lacrymatus

Other Information

Population Status

Not Evaluated (NE)

PHOTO COLLECTION

Reference

  1. inaturalist.org
  2. Reef Fishes of the Indo-Pacific. Book by Matthias Bergbauer and Manuela Kirschner