Damselfish (Pomacentridae)

The family has a distinctive single nasal opening on each side just in front of the eyes whereas most fish species usually have two pairs of openings on each side of the snout. The mouth is small and lined with strong teeth and the caudal fin is usually forked. The Damselfish are represented by 14 species in Hawaii, 7 of the genus Chromis. For the most part, the feeding habits of Damselfish in the tropics are very similar to the Chaetodontidae. The species that feed mainly on zooplankton also occur in aggregations and include the Chromis species as well as Dascyllus albisella, and Abudefduf abdominalis. The other Damselfish in Hawaii are mostly omnivorous, solitary, territorial, and found closer to the bottom. Because of their aggressive behavior, Damselfish are usually not suited for aquariums. During reproduction, the eggs are attached to the reef to subvert predation. In general, the color of Damselfish are brilliant but can change with age, and their small size discourages most all fishermen.

Hawaiian Marine Fauna

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