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Spot-eared damselfish (Stegastes otophorus) — Pomacentridae

Spot-eared damselfish

Stegastes otophorus
Family: Pomacentridae
LC · Least Concern

The Spot-eared damselfish (Stegastes otophorus) is a brackish-water fish of the family Pomacentridae that grows up to 13 cm.

Length
13 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
0.0–3.0 m
Diet
Herbivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The spot-eared damselfish is a damselfish from the western Atlantic, in the Caribbean and along Brazil. The species grows to about 13 cm and has a yellow-brown to greyish body with a dark spot by the gill cover. It is strongly territorial: it fiercely defends a 'garden' of algae on rocky or coral-rich reefs, which it grazes, and chases off intruders. The fish is harmless to humans and is assessed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Spot-eared damselfish?

The Spot-eared damselfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Spot-eared damselfish live?

The Spot-eared damselfish lives in brackish water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Spot-eared damselfish get?

The Spot-eared damselfish grows to a maximum of about 13 cm.

Is the Spot-eared damselfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Spot-eared damselfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Spot-eared damselfish edible?

The Spot-eared damselfish is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Oorvlek-koraaljuffer verified
English name
Spot-eared damselfish verified
Scientific name
Stegastes otophorus
Family
Pomacentridae
Other names
Freshwater gregory verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
13.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
3.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Herbivore 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

Same genus Stegastes

More from the family Pomacentridae

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