Colours

Distinguishing features

A small to medium sized fish with an off-white body and a series of dark black blotches along the forehead and upper back, tending to an overall pinkish grey in large adults. Usually seen near its algal farm on sandy substrata along the edges of shallow reefs. The biggest damselfish - maximum size about 20cm.

Size

Depth range

Synonyms

Distribution

Distribution and habitat preferences

Shallow sandy or rubble areas adjacent to reef margins in lagoonal and backreef habitats.

Found in most sheltered locations around the Island.

Behaviour

The White Damsel is plentiful around Lizard Island and has the peculiar habit of farming algae on calcareous sand substrata, feeding on the algae and the organic detritus trapped within it. The adults are very large damselfish and prolific breeders, flooding the reef habitat with recruits during the summer months. These small juveniles settle to exposed rubble zones on shallow reef flats and subseqently suffer very high mortality, with only a few individuals surviving their first year. Once the juveniles reach the adult size class and establish a territory, they can live for more than 10 years.

Web resources

References