<i>Pomacentrus bankanensis</i> Click to enlarge image
Speckled Damsel, Pomacentrus bankanensis Bleeker, 1853 Image: J.E. Randall
© CSIRO National Fish Collection

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Pomacentrus
    Species
    bankanensis
    Family
    Pomacentridae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to 10 cm in length.

Introduction

The Speckled Damsel is brown with blue spots on the scale centres. The species occurs primarily in tropical marine waters of the Western Pacific.

Identification

The Speckled Damsel is brown with blue spots on the scale centres. It has bright blue lines on the head, one of which runs along the dorsal midline. There is an ocellus on the dorsal fin rays. The caudal fin is white.

Distribution

The species occurs primarily in tropical marine waters of the Western Pacific. In Australia it is found off north-western Western Australia and from the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland south to the central coast of New South Wales.

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

  1. Allen, G.R. 1991. Damselfishes of the World. Mergus. Pp.271.
  2. 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.
  3. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
  4. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  5. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.