Threespot dascyllus

Threespot dascyllus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Pomacentridae
Genus:	Dascyllus
Species:	D. trimaculatus
Binomial name
Dascyllus trimaculatus (Rüppell, 1829)

The Threespot dascyllus (Dascyllus trimaculatus), also known as the Domino Damsel or simply Domino, is a species of damselfish from the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea and East Africa, to the Pitcairn islands, southern Japan and Australia.^[1]

Description

Grey to black body with two lateral white spots and one between the eyes, the Threespot dascyllus grows up to 14cm in length. Coloration is somewhat variable; the spot on the forehead may be absent and the lateral spots very much reduced.

Diet

It feeds on algae, copepods and other planktonic crustaceans.

Habitat

Generally found in small groups around coral heads or large rocks. Juveniles may be found associated with large sea anemones or sheltering between the spines of diadema sea urchins or branching corals.^[2] May be found up to depths of 55 m.

Etymology of name

Trimaculatus, meaning "three spotted" refers to the fishes three white spots. This accounts also for the common name of the "domino".^[3]

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  Threespot dascyllus and anthias grouping over coral near Taba, Egypt.

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  Juvenile Threespot dascyllus (left) and a pair of Maldive anemonefish associated with the sea anemone Heteractis magnifica

References

1. ^ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2007). "Dascyllus trimaculatus" in FishBase. 5 2007 version.
2. ^ Lieske, E. and Myers, R.F. (2004) Coral reef guide; Red Sea London, HarperCollins ISBN 0-00-715986-2
3. ^ Siliotti, A. (2002) fishes of the red sea Verona, Geodia ISBN 88-87177-42-2