Animal Species:Banded Sergeant, Abudefduf septemfasciatus (Cuvier, 1830)

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

Banded Sergeant at Lady Elliot Island

Banded Sergeant at Lady Elliot Island
John Pogonoski © John Pogonoski

Alternative Name/s

Narrow-banded Sergeant-major

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.

Size range

20 cm

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.

Abudefduf septemfasciatus

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Banded Sergeant Major specimens in the Australian Museum.

What does this mean?

Habitat

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

Feeding and Diet

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

Classification

Species:
septemfasciatus
Genus:
Abudefduf
Family:
Pomacentridae
Order:
Perciformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

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.


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags fishes, ichthyology, Pomacentridae, Banded Sergeant, Abudefduf septemfasciatus, silver, yellow, black, 'normal fish', 10 cm - 30 cm, stripes or bands, coral reef, marine, adult,