Juvenile Indo-Pacific Sergeant, Abudefduf vaigiensis Click to enlarge image
A juvenile Indo-Pacific Sergeant, Abudefduf vaigiensis, at a depth of 0.5 m, in a rock pool at Little Bay, Sydney, New South Wales, 26 January 2016. Image: Jack Hannan
© Jack Hannan

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Abudefduf
    Species
    vaigiensis
    Family
    Pomacentridae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    It grows to about 20 cm in length.

Introduction

The Indo-Pacific Sergeant is a small tropical species that has five black bars on the body.



Identification

The Indo-Pacific Sergeant can be recognised by its distinctive colour pattern. It has a white body with five black bars. It is usually yellow dorsally. The species can be separated from the similar-looking Scissortail Sergeant by the lack of black stripes on the caudal fin.

Habitat

It is usually seen in inshore and coral reef waters.

Distribution

The Indo-Pacific Sergeant occurs in tropical and some warm temperate waters of the Indo-west and Central Pacific.

In Australia, it is known from the central coast of Western Australia, around the tropical north of the country and south on the east coast to Bass Strait.

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

References

  • Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
  • Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  • Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.