Damselfish Family
(Pomacentridae)

Damselfish Family, (Pomacentridae): The Damselfishes or Pomacentridae Family are a group of small, very colorful reef fishes found throughout the subtropical and tropical regions of the world’s oceans which are known in Mexico fishing waters as Castañetas and Jaquetas.

These differ from nearly all other marine reef fishes by possession of a single nostril that occurs on each side of the snout that is a blind pouch.

Most Pomacentridae are strongly territorial and solitary. They are omnivores feeding, on bethic algae, crustaceans, plankton, and fish eggs.

There are 384 species of Pomacentridae known globally, of which 13 are found in the Sea of Cortez.

Members of the Damselfish Family represented in the fish identification section of this website include:

Beaubrummel Major, Stegastes flavilatus.
Bumphead Damselfish, Microspathodon dorsalis.
Cortez Damselfish, Stegastes rectifraenum.
Giant Damselfish, Microspathodon dorsalis.
Mexican Night Sergeant, Abudefduf declivifronsi.
Oval Chromis, Oval Damselfish or Silverstripe Chromis, Chromis alta.
Panamic Sergeant Major, Abudefduf troschelii.
Scissortail Chromis, Chromis atrilobata.

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