Dascyllus

Three species complexes have been proposed: the D. aruanus complex (D. aruanus, D. abudafur, D. melanurus),^[4][5] the D. trimaculatus complex (D. trimaculatus, D. albisella, D. auripinnis, D. strasburgi), and the D. reticulatus complex (D. reticulatus, D. carneus, D. marginatus, D. flavicaudus). However, only the D. aruanus complex and the D. trimaculatus complex are monophyletic.^[6][5] The species of the D. aruanus complex are the most basal in the genus Dascyllus.^[5]

Species of the genus Dascyllus are found in the Indo-West Pacific, and are primarily planktivorous.^[5]

The species of the D. trimaculatus complex are the largest in size, growing up to 90–110 mm (SL). All other species are smaller, reaching 50–65 mm (SL), with the exception of D. flavicaudus, which reaches 90 mm (SL).^[5]

The D. trimaculatus complex is strongly associated with sea anemones as juveniles.^[6][7][8] Some and potentially all species in the D. trimaculatus group are gonochoristic, but all other species are protogynous (ie, females can change sex and become males as they grow older or larger). It is likely that protogyny arose once in the common ancestor of the genus Dascyllus, which was then lost in the ancestor of the D. trimaculatus complex. All Dascyllus species are demersal spawners, and in all species, the female lays her eggs in nests prepared by a male, and the eggs are tended by the male until hatching.^[5]