Name: Threespot dascyllus, three-spot damsael, domino damselfish
Scientific Name: Dascyllus trimaculatus (Rüppell, 1829)
Family: Pomacentridae
Group: Bony fish
Class: Fish
Size: 11-25 cm.
While young, the threespot dascylluses share the protection of the great tropical anemones' tentacles with the clown fish. They may also be found hiding in coral ramifications and even among the sea urchins' thorns. At this stage of their lives, they are black with three shining white spots. As they grow older, they become gray, lose the spot they have on their head and grow one on their dorsal fin. The adults form schools that swim over coral reefs. They don't get longer than 14cm and feed on algae and plankton crustaceans.The females lay their eggs on the bottom, where the males watch over them until they hatch.
Photo by:
Greg Rothschild (animal-world.com)
Global Ocean
