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Sergeant Major (fish)
Encyclopedia
The Sergeant Major or píntano (Abudefduf saxatilis, family Pomacentridae
) is a large, colourful damselfish
. It earns its name from its brightly striped sides, which are reminiscent of the insignia of a military Sergeant Major
. It grows to a length of about 15 cm (6 inches).
The fish feed upon the larva
e of invertebrate
s, zooplankton
, smaller fish, crustacean
s and various species of algae
. They are preyed upon by some members of the Labridae and Serranidae
families. They lay their eggs in patches on a firm substrate and guard them vigorously until they hatch.
Sergeant majors are found throughout the tropical reaches of the Atlantic, including off the south coast of the United States
, Central America
, eastern South America
,including the island Bonaire and western Africa
. They are often found on coral reef
s at depths of between 1 and 12 meters.
They are popular aquarium
fish, although their aggressively territorial nature can pose problems if not closely watched.
Pomacentridae
Pomacentridae are a family of perciform fish, comprising the damselfishes and clownfishes. They are primarily marine, while a few species inhabit freshwater and brackish environments . They are noted for their hardy constitutions and territoriality...
) is a large, colourful damselfish
Damselfish
Damselfish comprise the family Pomacentridae except those of the genera Amphiprion and Premnas. They can grow up to long. While most are marine, a few species inhabit the lower stretches of rivers in freshwater. Damselfish usually have bright colors. in tropical coral reefs, and many of those are...
. It earns its name from its brightly striped sides, which are reminiscent of the insignia of a military Sergeant Major
Sergeant Major
Sergeants major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. In Commonwealth countries, Sergeants Major are usually appointments held by senior non-commissioned officers or warrant officers...
. It grows to a length of about 15 cm (6 inches).
The fish feed upon the larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e of invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s, zooplankton
Zooplankton
Zooplankton are heterotrophic plankton. Plankton are organisms drifting in oceans, seas, and bodies of fresh water. The word "zooplankton" is derived from the Greek zoon , meaning "animal", and , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter"...
, smaller fish, crustacean
Crustacean
Crustaceans form a very large group of arthropods, usually treated as a subphylum, which includes such familiar animals as crabs, lobsters, crayfish, shrimp, krill and barnacles. The 50,000 described species range in size from Stygotantulus stocki at , to the Japanese spider crab with a leg span...
s and various species of algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
. They are preyed upon by some members of the Labridae and Serranidae
Serranidae
Serranidae is a large family of fishes, belonging to the order Perciformes. The family contains about 450 species of serranids in 64 genera, including the sea basses and the groupers...
families. They lay their eggs in patches on a firm substrate and guard them vigorously until they hatch.
Sergeant majors are found throughout the tropical reaches of the Atlantic, including off the south coast of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
, eastern South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
,including the island Bonaire and western Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. They are often found on coral reef
Coral reef
Coral reefs are underwater structures made from calcium carbonate secreted by corals. Coral reefs are colonies of tiny living animals found in marine waters that contain few nutrients. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, which in turn consist of polyps that cluster in groups. The polyps...
s at depths of between 1 and 12 meters.
They are popular aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
fish, although their aggressively territorial nature can pose problems if not closely watched.