Family : Pomacentridae (Damselfishes)
Order : Perciformes  (perch-likes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Gulf damselfish
Fish Name : Pristotis obtusirostris
Max size : 14.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 9710)
Environment : reef-associated; non-migratory ; depth range 2 - 80 m
Climate : tropical
Global Importance : fisheries: subsistence fisheries; aquarium: commercial
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.8)Distribution : Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and Persian Gulf to the Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan, Indonesia, New Guinea, and northern Australia.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 13-13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-13; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 12-14
Biology : Usually identified as P. jerdoni (Day, 1873), a junior synonym (Ref. 48636). Found mainly along continental margins rather than truly oceanic areas. Inhabits flat sandy or rubble bottoms around patch reefs of lagoons and trawling grounds (Ref. 7247). A somewhat unusual damselfish in behavior. Adults often seen in small groups out in the open on sandy substrate, swimming well-above the bottom and unlike other damselfishes rely on speed to get away from predators rather than diving into the shelter or reefs or burrow. Juveniles often shallow estuaries, but adults mainly in deeper water offshore at depths of 20+ m and have been reported to 80 m depth (Ref. 48636)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator : Allen, Gerald R.
Main Ref : Randall, J.E.. 1995. (Ref. 11441)

India country information
Common Names : [ No common name ]
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses