Stegastes partitus (Poey, 1868)
Bicolor damselfish
Stegastes partitus
photo by Pialek, L.

Family:  Pomacentridae (Damselfishes), subfamily: Microspathodontinae
Max. size:  10 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 100 m, non-migratory
Distribution:  Western Atlantic: including southern Florida (USA), Bahamas, and the Caribbean. Probably extending to Brazil (Ref. 9626).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 12-12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-17; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 13-15. Exhibits geographic color variations (Ref. 7247). Body dark in front, becoming abruptly yellow between last dorsal spine and anal fin origin (Ref. 26938).
Biology:  Adults inhabit shallow coral reefs and isolated patch reefs in deeper water. Feed primarily on algae but also on polychaetes, hydroids, copepods and ascidians (Ref. 9626). Aggressively territorial but only around a small area (Ref. 9710). Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205). Eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate (Ref. 205). Males guard and aerate the eggs (Ref. 205). Taken incidentally in traps and small-meshed beach nets (Ref. 5217).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 15 November 2010 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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