Neoglyphidodon melas

Royal damsel | Black Damsel | Bluefin Damsel | Bowtie Damsel | Zulu Damsel
Neoglyphidodon melas
Neoglyphidodon melas, adult, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Neoglyphidodon melas
Neoglyphidodon melas, juvenile, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
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Neoglyphidodon melas
Neoglyphidodon melas

Distribution

Tropical Indo-Pacific


Description

Adult blue-black to jet black with no distinctive features. Similar to Hemiglyphidodon plagiometopon (Lagoon Damsel) but with slightly rounder body and higher dorsal fin. Elegant appearance. Juvenile distinctive white, yellow and blue markings, usually found around staghorn corals.


Information

Max Size: 18 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 21.6-31.3°C

Depth: 1-12m

Habitat Generalization Index: 17.96

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Not Evaluated

Occurrence: Common (34.7% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Several (5 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.