Home · Pomacentridae · Biglip damsel
Biglip damsel (Cheiloprion labiatus) — Pomacentridae

Biglip damsel

Cheiloprion labiatus
Family: Pomacentridae
LC · Least Concern

The Biglip damsel (Cheiloprion labiatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Pomacentridae that grows up to 6 cm.

Length
6 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–3.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The big-lip damsel is a small damselfish from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 6 cm and has a stocky, dark-brown body with conspicuously thick, fleshy lips. Remarkably, it feeds mainly on the polyps of living branching coral, which it bites off with its lips. It is strongly tied to coral-rich shallow reefs. The fish is harmless to humans and has no commercial value. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Biglip damsel?

The Biglip damsel has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Biglip damsel live?

The Biglip damsel lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Biglip damsel get?

The Biglip damsel grows to a maximum of about 6 cm.

Is the Biglip damsel dangerous to humans?

No, the Biglip damsel is harmless to humans.

Is the Biglip damsel edible?

The Biglip damsel is not usually eaten.

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →

All data

Identification

Dutch name
Diklip-juffertje verified
English name
Biglip damsel verified
Scientific name
Cheiloprion labiatus
Family
Pomacentridae
Other names
Big-lip damsel verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
6.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
3.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
Yes sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Geen doelsoort voor de hengelsport; hooguit incidentele vangst of bruikbaar als aasvisje. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

More from the family Pomacentridae

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →