Dascyllus reticulatus
No common name
Collection Details
Specimens
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Pomacentridae (Damselfishes)
Dascyllus
Dascyllus reticulatus
Description
This species account was compiled from
FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version 04/2025.)
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Characters
Body shape: short and / or deep. Color variable according to ecological and behavioral conditions: basically body whitish with snout, interorbital and forehead greenish; black bar on anterior and a fainter one on posterior part of the body; blackish scale margins; pelvic fins mostly black; pectorals transparent with a spot on its base. Margins of preorbital, suborbital, and preoperculum finely serrated (Ref. 2746). Body depth 1.4-1.6 in SL (Ref. 90102). Striking features: none.
Distribution
Eastern Central Indian Ocean to Western Pacific: : Cocos-Keeling Islands in the eastern Indian Ocean to Samoa and the Line Islands, north to southern Japan, south to Rowley Shoals (eastern Indian Ocean) and Lord Howe Island (Ref. 37816). Not found in the Hawaiian and Society islands and islands beyond. Replaced by Dascyllus carneus in the Indian Ocean (Ref. 37816).
Habitat Associations
Marine. reef-associated. depth range 1-50 m. Found in: coral reefs.
Biology
Adults occur in outer lagoon and seaward reefs. They inhabit branching coral heads, particularly Pocillopora eydouxi. Form schools, often in silty habitats (Ref. 48636). Male prepares a nest by cleaning with its mouth a rock or coral surface where the female will attach the eggs (Ref. 5503). Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205). Diurnal species (Ref. 54980; 113699).
Max length: 9.0 cm TL.
Reproductive mode: protogyny; fertilization: external; mating system: monogamy; guarders (nesters); parental care: paternal. Benthic spawner. Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205). Eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate (Ref. 205). Males guard and aerate the eggs (Ref. 205). Also Ref. 103751.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2021-09-23. Resilience: High (K=0.5).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial.
References
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Myers, R.F. (1991) Micronesian reef fishes. Second Ed. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 298 p.
Randall, H.A. and G.R. Allen (1977) A revision of the damselfish genus Dascyllus (Pomacentridae) with description of a new species. Rec. Aust. Mus. 31(9):349-385.
Cornic, A. (1987) Poissons de l'Île Maurice. Editions de l'Océan Indien, Stanley Rose Hill, Ile Maurice. 335 p.
Allen, G.R. (1991) Damselfishes of the world. Mergus Publishers, Melle, Germany. 271 p.
Allen, G.R. and R.C. Steene (1988) Fishes of Christmas Island Indian Ocean. Christmas Island Natural History Association, Christmas Island, Indian Ocean, 6798, Australia. 197 p.
Godwin, J. (1995) Phylogenetic and habitat influences on mating system structure in the humbug damselfishes (Dascyllus, Pomacentridae). Bull. Mar. Sci. 57(3):637-652.
Allen, G.R. and M.V. Erdmann (2012) Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth, Australia: Universitiy of Hawai'i Press, Volumes I-III. Tropical Reef Research.
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