Family : Pomacentridae (Damselfishes)
Order : Perciformes  (perch-likes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Whitetail dascyllus
Fish Name : Dascyllus aruanus
Max size : 10.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 4391); max. reported age: 6 years
Environment : reef-associated; non-migratory ; depth range 0 - 20 m
Climate : tropical; 30°N - 30°S
Global Importance : fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tmax=6; Fec=1,500-2,000)Distribution : Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Line, Marquesan and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to Sydney, Australia.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 12-12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-13; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 11-13. Color in life white with 3 black bars; a large brown spot on dorsal part of snout and interorbital; lips dusky or white; caudal fin pale; pelvic fins black; pectorals transparent. Margins of preorbital, suborbital, and preoperculum finely serrated.
Biology : Territorial, inhabit shallow lagoon and subtidal reef flats. Form large aggregations above staghorn Acropora thickets or in smaller groups above isolated coral heads. Feed on zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, and algae. Males invite females to spawn in their nests; protecting the eggs until they hatch and becoming very aggressive against other fish. Eggs hatch after 3-5 days; pelagic larvae feeds on plankton (Ref. 5503). Used in behavioral study. Have been reared in captivity (Ref. 35412)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator : Allen, Gerald R.
Main Ref : Randall, H.A. and G.R. Allen. 1977. (Ref. 2746)

India country information
Common Names : കളളിക്കൊറ്റി, കല്ലിക്കൊട്ടി, Galiburang, Kallikkotti
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses