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Damselfish (Pomacentrus moluccensis) — Pomacentridae

Damselfish

Pomacentrus moluccensis
Family: Pomacentridae
LC · Least Concern

The Damselfish (Pomacentrus moluccensis) is a saltwater fish of the family Pomacentridae that grows up to 9 cm.

Length
9 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–60.0 m
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Western Pacific; clear lagoon and seaward reefs among branching coral.
Edibility
Not eaten

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Description

The lemon damsel is a small, bright-yellow damselfish of the family Pomacentridae from the western Pacific. The species grows to about 9 cm and has a uniform lemon-yellow body, sometimes with fine blue lines on the head. Adults inhabit clear lagoon and seaward reefs, often among branching coral into which they dive when threatened. As an omnivore it feeds on zooplankton, algae and small invertebrates in the water column. In spawning the male guards the eggs laid on the substrate. The species is popular in the marine aquarium and is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Damselfish?

The Damselfish has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a plain pattern. Uniformly lemon yellow; dives into the branching coral of clear reefs when threatened.

Where does the Damselfish live?

The Damselfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Western Pacific; clear lagoon and seaward reefs among branching coral.

How big does the Damselfish get?

The Damselfish grows to a maximum of about 9 cm.

Is the Damselfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Damselfish is harmless to humans. None required: this species is harmless to humans.

Is the Damselfish edible?

The Damselfish is not usually eaten.

More photos

Damselfish (Pomacentrus moluccensis) — Pomacentridae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Claire Goiran, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Damselfish (Pomacentrus moluccensis) — Pomacentridae — 3
Wikimedia Commons — Anders Poulsen, Deep Blue (http://www.colours.dk/) (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Damselfish (Pomacentrus moluccensis) — Pomacentridae — 4
Charley Hesse (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Damselfish (Pomacentrus moluccensis) — Pomacentridae — 5
Wikimedia Commons — Karelj (Public domain)
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All data

Identification

English name
Damselfish verified
Scientific name
Pomacentrus moluccensis
Family
Pomacentridae
Other names
Lemon damsel; Yellow damsel; Lemon damselfish; Lemon fish damsel; Molucca damsel; Molucca demoiselle; Yellow damselfish verified

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
60.0 verified
Natural range
Western Pacific; clear lagoon and seaward reefs among branching coral. inferred
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Zooplankton, algae and small invertebrates sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
Yes inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred
Special features
Uniformly lemon yellow; dives into the branching coral of clear reefs when threatened. sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Not a target species for angling; at most an incidental catch or usable as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
None required: this species is harmless to humans. sourced

Status & sources

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

Same genus Pomacentrus

More from the family Pomacentridae

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