Whitetail dascyllus
D. emamo info
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Whitetail dascyllus is up to {{convert|10|cm}} in length but its common size is {{convert|6|cm}} and is white with three black vertical bars.{{FishBase|Dascyllus|aruanus|month=June|year=2018}} |
Whitetail dascyllus is up to {{convert|10|cm}} in length but its common size is {{convert|6|cm}} and is white with three black vertical bars.{{FishBase|Dascyllus|aruanus|month=June|year=2018}} |
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It is morphologically identical to ''[[Dascyllus emamo|D. emamo]]'', differing only in the sounds they make and their geographic distribution.{{Cite journal |last=Parmentier |first=Eric |last2=Scalbert |first2=Robin |last3=Raick |first3=Xavier |last4=Gache |first4=Camille |last5=Frédérich |first5=Bruno |last6=Bertucci |first6=Frédéric |last7=Lecchini |first7=David |date=2022-06-23 |title=First use of acoustic calls to distinguish cryptic members of a fish species complex |url=https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/195/3/964/6356407 |journal=Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society |language=en |volume=195 |issue=3 |pages=964–975 |doi=10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab056 |issn=0024-4082}} It also appears very similar to the closely related ''[[Dascyllus abudafur|D. abudafur]]''.{{Cite journal |last1=Borsa |first1=Philippe |last2=Sembiring |first2=Andrianus |last3=Fauvelot |first3=Cécile |last4=Chen |first4=Wei-Jen |date=2014 |title=Resurrection of Indian Ocean humbug damselfish, Dascyllus abudafur (Forsskål) from synonymy with its Pacific Ocean sibling, Dascyllus aruanus (L.) |url=https://comptes-rendus.academie-sciences.fr/biologies/articles/10.1016/j.crvi.2014.09.001/ |journal=Comptes Rendus. Biologies |language=fr |volume=337 |issue=12 |pages=709–716 |doi=10.1016/j.crvi.2014.09.001 |pmid=25433563 |issn=1768-3238}} It may also be mistaken for ''[[Dascyllus melanurus|D. melanurus]]'', which has four black stripes instead of three. They have a small mouth, a flat spine, a black and white body with a large white spot between the eyes.{{cite journal |last1=Frable |first1=Benjamin |title=A New Species of Damselfish (Teleostei: Pomancentridae: Pomacentrus) |journal=Copeia |date=2019 |volume=107 |issue=2 |pages=323–331|doi=10.1643/CI-19-221 |jstor=26900485 }} |
It is morphologically identical to ''[[Dascyllus emamo|D. emamo]]'', differing only in the sounds they make and their geographic distribution. |
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In the first year of life, the damselfish grows to be about 6 centimeters. However, it is fully grown by the end of its second year and remains at around 10 centimeters for another three to four years until it dies. The colors remain the same throughout their lives and serve multiple purposes. It has been hypothesized that the bold contrast of black and white attract fish of the same species, yet display as a sign of their host coral's toxicity to potential predators.{{cite journal |last1=Fishelson |first1=Lev |title=Behaviour, socio-ecology and sexuality in damselfishes (Pomacentridae) |journal=Italian Journal of Zoology |date=1998 |volume=65 |pages=387–398 |doi=10.1080/11250009809386853 }} |
In the first year of life, the damselfish grows to be about 6 centimeters. However, it is fully grown by the end of its second year and remains at around 10 centimeters for another three to four years until it dies. The colors remain the same throughout their lives and serve multiple purposes. It has been hypothesized that the bold contrast of black and white attract fish of the same species, yet display as a sign of their host coral's toxicity to potential predators.{{cite journal |last1=Fishelson |first1=Lev |title=Behaviour, socio-ecology and sexuality in damselfishes (Pomacentridae) |journal=Italian Journal of Zoology |date=1998 |volume=65 |pages=387–398 |doi=10.1080/11250009809386853 }} |
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==Distribution== |
==Distribution== |
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{{Easy CSS image crop|Image=Humbug Dascyllus, Guam, 66010 imported from iNaturalist photo 614105288.jpg|desired_width=250|align=right|caption=In [[Guam]]|crop_right_perc=22|crop_left_perc=22|crop_top_perc=29|crop_bottom_perc=30}} |
{{Easy CSS image crop|Image=Humbug Dascyllus, Guam, 66010 imported from iNaturalist photo 614105288.jpg|desired_width=250|align=right|caption=In [[Guam]]|crop_right_perc=22|crop_left_perc=22|crop_top_perc=29|crop_bottom_perc=30}} |
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''Dascyllus aruanus'' inhabits the Indo-Pacific, east and north of the [[Sunda Shelf]]. They live in small groups of around 30 individuals and prefer smaller territories in the shallow coral reefs. The shallow reefs can range from around one to ten meters deep and the inhabiting damselfish rarely stray far from the home they were born in.{{cite journal |last1=Ehrlich |first1=Paul |title=The Population Biology of Coral Reef Fishes |journal=Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics |date=1975 |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=211–247 |doi=10.1146/annurev.es.06.110175.001235 |jstor=2096831 |bibcode=1975AnRES...6..211E }} |
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They live in small groups of around 30 individuals and prefer smaller territories in the shallow coral reefs. The shallow reefs can range from around one to ten meters deep and the inhabiting damselfish rarely stray far from the home they were born in.{{cite journal |last1=Ehrlich |first1=Paul |title=The Population Biology of Coral Reef Fishes |journal=Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics |date=1975 |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=211–247 |doi=10.1146/annurev.es.06.110175.001235 |jstor=2096831 |bibcode=1975AnRES...6..211E }} |
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Most of these coral reefs are smaller with less species diversity. The humbug damselfish are particularly territorial and will act accordingly to protect their coral shelters. However, the humbug is found to reside in some of the same coral as ''[[Dascyllus marginatus]]''. Instead of seeing this fish as competition, they adapted similar behaviors and are able to cohabitate with each other efficiently.{{cite journal |last1=Anna |first1=Gillespie |title=Group Dynamics and Interactions between Two Cohabiting Damselfishes, Dascyllus aruanus and Pomacentrus moluccensis |journal=Stanford Undergraduate Research Journal |date=2009 |volume=8 |url=https://ojs.stanford.edu/ojs/index.php/surj/issue/download/surj-2009/51#page=89}} |
Most of these coral reefs are smaller with less species diversity. The humbug damselfish are particularly territorial and will act accordingly to protect their coral shelters. However, the humbug is found to reside in some of the same coral as ''[[Dascyllus marginatus]]''. Instead of seeing this fish as competition, they adapted similar behaviors and are able to cohabitate with each other efficiently.{{cite journal |last1=Anna |first1=Gillespie |title=Group Dynamics and Interactions between Two Cohabiting Damselfishes, Dascyllus aruanus and Pomacentrus moluccensis |journal=Stanford Undergraduate Research Journal |date=2009 |volume=8 |url=https://ojs.stanford.edu/ojs/index.php/surj/issue/download/surj-2009/51#page=89}} |
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