Banded Sergeant, Abudefduf septemfasciatus (Cuvier, 1830)

Scientific name: Abudefduf septemfasciatus
Alternative name/s:
Narrow-banded Sergeant-major
  • Author(s)
    Mark McGrouther
  • Updated
    21/12/20
  • Read time
    2 minutes
Banded Sergeant, Abudefduf septemfasciatus Click to enlarge image
A Banded Sergeant at Lady Elliot Island, Queensland, June 2009. Image: John Pogonoski
© John Pogonoski

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Abudefduf
    Species
    septemfasciatus
    Family
    Pomacentridae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    20 cm

Introduction

As its standard name suggests, this tropical species is strongly banded.

Identification

The Banded Sergeant has a whitish body with 6 dark bands, each wider than the spaces between. There is a seventh band on the head that has spots below. A small black spot is present on the upper pectoral fin base.

Habitat

It occurs in coral reef waters as well as rocky reef and inshore areas.

Distribution

The species occurs throughout the Indo-west and Central Pacific.

In Australia, it is known from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia

Feeding and diet

The species has been reported to eat algae, crustaceans and limpets.

References

  1. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  2. Randall, J.E. 2005. Reef and Shore Fishes of the South Pacific. University of Hawai'i Press. Pp. 707.