Onespot demoiselle

Appearance

Dusky yellow body with fine blue lines on head across eye, an ocellus on rear dorsal fin and upper tail base, sometimes a second ocellus on dorsal fin further up the back. Almost identical to the dusky yellow form of Chrysiptera brownriggii (Surge Damselfish), although that species has the rear eye-spot further back on tail (rather than immediately behind dorsal fin). Length to 10 cm.

Distribution

Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Fiji, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef. Recently reported from Tonga.

Habitat

Adults are found solitarily or in small groups among coastal algal reefs, rubble or over open beach-rock of reef flats exposed to moderate surge. Diurnal species.

Reproduction

Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding. Eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate. Males guard and aerate the eggs.

Food

It feeds mainly on benthic algae.