WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Whitetail Dascyllus

Dascyllus aruanus

Also known as: Banded Dascyllus, Banded Humbug, Black-and-White Damselfish, Black-and-White Humbug, Common Humbug, Humbug, Humbug Damsel, Humbug Damselfish, Humbug Dascyllus, Pacific Ocean Humbug, Stripe Damsel, Stripe Damselfish, Threestripe Damsel, Threestripe Damselfish, Three-striped Damsel, Whitetail Damsel, White-tailed Damsel, White-tailed Damselfish, White-tailed Footballer, Zebra Humbug

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2022
Adult
@greatwhite · Royal Sunset Resort, 'Atata, Tonga · October 20111 / 10
01

Overview

Found in small and large schools, sheltering in the arms of staghorn corals, or around isolated coral heads, over shallow lagoons and inshore reef flats.

Damselfish are egg layers.
First they clear a site ready for a nest, then engage in a mating dance with rapid swimming and fin movements, during this time the males will often turn a shade or two darker and may display white blotches. Spawning occurs at dawn.

02

How to identify

COLOURS
Pattern
stripes

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Pacific Ocean
  • Country only · 10
LIVES IN

Found in small and large schools, sheltering in the arms of staghorn corals, or around isolated coral heads, over shallow lagoons and inshore reef flats.

04

Adult photos 10

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderOvalentaria incertae sedis
    5. familyPomacentridae
    6. genusDascyllus
    7. speciesDascyllus aruanus (Linnaeus, 1758)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Damselfishes (Pomacentridae)