Dascyllus aruanus, known commonly as the whitetail dascyllus or humbug damselfish among other vernacular names, is a species of marine fish in the family Pomacentridae.

Oviparous

Not a migrant

starts with

Appearance

Whitetail dascyllus is up to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in length but its common size is 6 centimetres (2.4 in) and is white with three black vertical bars.

Distribution

Geography

Continents

Asia, Africa, Oceania

Subcontinents

East Asia, North Africa, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Western Asia, Polynesia, Melanesia, Micronesia

Introduced Countries

China, United States

Regions

French Polynesia, American Samoa, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Cook Islands, Guam, New Caledonia, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna, British Indian Ocean Territory, Réunion, Western Australia, Mayotte

Oceans

Pacific Ocean, Indian ocean

Islands

Spratly Island

Biogeographical realms

Palearctic, Oceanian, Australasian, Indomalayan, Afrotropical

Associated with coral reefs, most usually in groups above Acropora coral heads. Males may be aggressive against other fish while they tend eggs.

Whitetail dascyllus is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region, Red Sea included. However, the species has recently been split with D. aruanus found in the Pacific and Forsskål's 1775 name Dascyllus abudafur being resurrected for the Red Sea and Indian Ocean populations.