Giant damselfish

The giant damselfish (Microspathodon dorsalis) is a species of fish that inhabits rocky reefs below the surf zone at depths of 1–25 m. It mainly feeds on low-profile, attached algae. Giant damselfish defend both feeding and reproductive territories by driving off other fishes and divers who come too close. They are oviparous, and form distinct pairings during breeding. The eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate. Males guard and aerate the eggs.^[3]

Juvenile

Adult

Giant damselfish
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Blenniiformes
Family:	Pomacentridae
Genus:	Microspathodon
Species:	M. dorsalis
Binomial name
Microspathodon dorsalis (Gill, 1862)
Synonyms[2]
Hypsypops dorsalis Gill, 1862 Microspathodon azurissimus Jordan & Starks, 1895 Microspathodon cinereus Gilbert, 1890 Pomacentrus quadrigutta Gill, 1862

Distribution

Eastern Pacific Ocean: central Gulf of California to Malpelo Island (Colombia), including the Revillagigedo, Cocos Island and the Galápagos Islands.^[4]

Gallery

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  Male in breeding colouration
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