Damselfishes
Sergeant Major
Abudefduf saxatilis
Species Overview
Short, deep body; greenish-yellow above and white below with five prominent black vertical bars narrowing toward the belly, sometimes a faint sixth bar on the caudal peduncle, and a black spot at the upper pectoral-fin base; 13 dorsal spines, 12-13 dorsal soft rays, 2 anal spines, 10-12 anal soft rays.
- Size
- Typical adult 10-15 cm (4-6 in) per ReefGuide; common length 15.0 cm SL (5.9 in); maximum recorded 22.9 cm TL (9.0 in); max weight 200 g (FishBase).
- Habitat
- Reef-associated, non-migratory; adults over shallow reef tops; juveniles in tide pools and mangroves.
- Diet
- Algae, small crustaceans and fishes, and invertebrate larvae (FishBase).
- Range
- Caribbean, Bahamas, Florida, Bermuda, Gulf of America and Brazil (ReefGuide); Atlantic-only: western Atlantic from Canada/Rhode Island to Uruguay, mid-Atlantic islands, Cape Verde and West Africa to Angola (FishBase).
Life stages
Juveniles live in tide pools and mangroves; nesting/guarding adult males turn dark bluish so the bars become less visible (FishBase). No life-stage photos on ReefGuide.
Ecological role
Omnivore in shallow reefs; juveniles provide cleaning services to green sea turtles (FishBase).
Explore reef conservation
Learn about Caribbean reef habitats, invasive lionfish and the work of the Caribbean Reef Fish Foundation.
TL means total length; SL excludes the tail fin; FL measures to the tail fork. These measurements are not interchangeable.