User:MarineBiologyS/sandbox



Damselfishes are those within the subfamilies Abudefdufinae, Chrominae, Lepidozyginae, Pomacentrinae, and Stegastenae within the family Pomacentridae. Most species within this group are relatively small, with the larges species being about 30cm in length. Most damselfish species exist only in marine environments, but a few inhabit brackish or fresh water. These fish are found globally in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters.

Copied and edited from Damselfish.

Damselfishes comprise the family Pomacentridae except those within the genera Amphiprion and Premnas, which are the anemonefishes. The largest can grow up to 36 cm long, but most species are much smaller. While most are marine, a few species inhabit the lower stretches of rivers in fresh water. Most damselfish species have bright colors or strongly contrasting patterns.

Habitat
Many species live in tropical rocky or coral reefs, and many of those are kept as marine aquarium pets. However, a few live in fresh and brackish waters, such as the freshwater damselfish, or in warm subtropical climates, such as the large orange Garibaldi, which inhabits the coast of southern California and the Pacific Mexican coast.

(NEEDS CITATION)

Diet and Foraging
Their diets include small crustaceans, plankton, and algae.

(MOVE THIS AND FIND CITATION: The domino damselfish D. albisella spends the majority (greater than 85%) of its daytime hours foraging. )

Larger individuals typically forage higher in a water column than do smaller ones.When current speeds are low, the damselfish forages higher in a water column where the flux of plankton is greater and they have a larger food source. As current speeds increase, it forages closer to the bottom of the column. Feeding rates tend to be higher when currents are faster. Smaller fishes forage closer to their substrates than do larger ones, possibly in response to predation pressures.

(PUT INTO REPRODUCTION SECTION WITH CITATION) Males have relatively smaller stomach sizes during spawning season compared to females due to the allocation of resources for courtship and the guarding of nests.

Territoriality
There are many examples of resource partitioning and habitat selection that are driven by aggressive and territorial behaviors in this group. For example, the threespot damselfish S. planifrons is very defensive of its territory and is a classic example of extreme territoriality within the group. One species, the dusky dapmselfish S. adustus spends the majority of its life within its territory.

The dusky damselfish S. adustus spends the majority of its life within a territory that is only about 0.6 m2 in area.

** MOVE THIS TO STEGASTES PLANIFRONS PAGE**

"The threespot damselfish S. planifrons is very territorial and defends its food and reproductive sites vigorously from intruders. Adults vigorously maintain large territories, chasing away and nipping intruders, including humans. Females leave their territories temporarily during spawning in order to deposit their eggs, which stick to objects on the seabed, in male territories. This increased mobility subjects them to greater risks of predation, and females typically exhibit higher turnover rates than males do. Male damselfish defend their clutches until the larvae hatch and guard the eggs while oxygenating them by fanning them with its fins. They do so by continuously swimming in a circular pattern around their nests. Males compete against each other for reproductive territorial space. Smaller and less aggressive individuals are often relegated to secondary or suboptimal habitats and therefore exhibit lesser reproductive success. Some are excluded from establishing territories altogether and usually exist as a floating population. These fish do not take part in breeding and are at the greatest risk of predation. However, they may occupy territories that have been vacated whenever the opportunity arises. "

Copied from stegastes planifrons page:

"Adults vigorously maintain large territories, chasing away and nipping intruders, including humans. A male and female will form a breeding pair. The female lays eggs which stick to objects on the seabed, and the male guards these and oxygenates them by fanning them with its fins. "

** MOVE THIS TO STEGASTES ADUSTUS PAGE**

The dusky damselfish S. adustus spends the majority of its life within a territory that is only about 0.6 m2 in area. These territories provide them with hiding spots, dietary needs, and spawning sites. Individuals in suboptimal territories frequently attempt to relocate, and so those in optimal habitats must constantly monitor territorial occupancy. Territorial aggression is often proportional to territory quality. Movements outside of territorial borders, called forays, are common and may span distances of sixteen meters or more. Three types of forays exist. The shortest-distance ones are involved in foraging. Longer forays usually involve courtship activity and mating. Non-feeding and non-reproductive forays are associated with territorial reoccupation.

** BLUE VELVET?? CITATION NEEDED** CANNOT FIND CITATION. REMOVE THIS, COMMENT IN TALK PAGE

The blue velvet damsel fish, N. oxyodon, is very aggressive against other male blue velvet damsels.

Copied from Damselfish article for edits.

Courtship
In the species S. partitus, females do not choose to mate with males based on size. Even though large male size can be advantageous in defending nests and eggs against conspecifics among many animals, nest intrusions are not observed in this damselfish species. Females also do not choose their mates based upon the brood sizes of the males. In spite of the increased male parental care, brood size does not affect egg survival, as eggs are typically taken during the night when the males are not defending their nests. Rather, female choice of mates is dependent on male courtship rate. Males signal their parental quality by the vigor of their courtship displays, and females mate preferentially with vigorously courting males.

= Dascyllus albisella = * Add domino damselfish to name list*

Dascyllus albisella are a relatively passive species that spends most of their time foraging.