| Stegastes pictus | |
|---|---|
| Stegastes pictus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Pomacentridae |
| Genus: | Stegastes |
| Species: | S. pictus |
| Binomial name | |
| Stegastes pictus (Castelnau, 1855) [1] |
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| Synonyms[1] | |
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Stegastes pictus or 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.[2]
Stegastes pictus is deep bodied and laterally compressed and grows to about 7.5 centimetres (3.0 in) in length. It is a dark brownish-black colour with yellow eyes, yellow pectoral and tail fins and a pale edge to the gill covers. The large dorsal fin has 12 spines and about 15 soft rays. The anal fin has 2 spines and about 14 soft rays. The paired pectoral and pelvic fins have only soft rays. There are 19 or 20 scales on the lateral line and about 20 gill rakers. The mouth is at the tip of the snout.[2]
Stegastes pictus is a demersal fish and a territorial species which guards an area of sea floor on which it grazes algae and eats detritus. It is often found associated with the fire coral, Millepora alcicornis.[2] It is preyed upon by the trumpetfish, Aulostomus maculatus.[2]
Yellowtip damselfish form pairbonds at breeding time. The eggs are laid on the sea bed and the male guards them and fans them as they develop to increase their oxygen supply.[3]