Pomacentridae

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Clownfish and damselfish
Cocoa damselfish, Stegastes variabilis
Cocoa damselfish, Stegastes variabilis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Pomacentridae
Genera

See text.

Pomacentridae is a family of perciform fish, comprising the damselfishes and clownfishes. They are exclusively marine (rarely brackish), and noted for their hardy constitutions and territoriality. Many are brightly coloured, so they are popular in aquaria.

Around 360 species are classified in this family, in approximately 28 genera. Of these, members of two genera, Amphiprion and Premnas (subfamily Amphiprioninae), are commonly called clownfish or anemonefish, while members of other genera (e.g. Chromis) are commonly called damselfish.[1]

Contents

[edit] Etymology

The name of the family is derived from the greek words Greek "poma" and "kentron". Poma roughly translates to the English "cover", referring to the fishes' operculum. Kentron on the other hand is Greek for sting. These two refer to a particular diagnostic character of the family, specifically the spine(s) that can be found along the margin of the family members' operculum.[1]

[edit] Genera

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Pomacentridae". FishBase. Ed. Rainer Froese and Daniel Pauly. July 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.

[edit] External links

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