Indo-Pacific Sergeant, Abudefduf vaigiensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825)
It has also been called the Common Sergeant, Five-banded Damsel-fish and Five-banded Sergeant-major.
Click to enlarge image
© 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.
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.
