Stegastes fuscus
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| Stegastes fuscus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Stegastes fuscus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Blenniiformes |
| Family: | Pomacentridae |
| Genus: | Stegastes |
| Species: | S. fuscus |
| Binomial name | |
| Stegastes fuscus | |
| Synonyms[2][3] | |
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Stegastes fuscus, the dusky damselfish, is a species of bony fish in the family Pomacentridae found near the seabed in shallow waters on the western fringes of the Atlantic Ocean.[3]
The colour of an adult dusky damselfish varies from brownish-olive to dark grey, with fine, darker-coloured, vertical stripes on the body. The fins are large with sometimes a blue rim around the edge of the dorsal and anal fins. The dorsal fin has 12 spines and 15-16 soft rays while the anal fin has two spines and 13-14 soft rays.[3] The dusky damselfish can be distinguished from the very similar longfin damselfish (Stegastes diencaeus) by the shorter, less angular dorsal and anal fins. The maximum length is 15 cm (5.9 in), but 10 cm (3.9 in) is a more typical length.[4]
The juvenile dusky damselfish is pearly grey with blue spots on the top of its head. It has a large, blue-rimmed, black eyespot where the dorsal fin spines meet the dorsal fin soft rays, and a smaller, similarly coloured eyespot on the caudal peduncle. Some juveniles off the coast of southeastern Brazil have a vivid yellow and orange band on the back and dorsal fin.[5]
Distribution
Stegastes fuscus occurs in shallow waters off Brazil, where it is common on both rocky and coral reefs at depths down to 40 m (130 ft). It is also reported from the Caribbean Sea, but another species, Pomacentrus dorsopunicans, possibly was misidentified there. Another population is reported from Senegal, but this lacks confirmation.[3][6]