Sergeant Major

Abudefduf saxatilis

The Sergeant Major not only wears a "uniform" (the dark bars on its side look like military insignia, hence its name), but also guards its feeding territories vigorously and will attack any intruders, including snorkelers. It is quite harmless. However, it is too small and its teeth are too blunt to hurt you. In the breeding period, Sergeant Major males turn blue while they are guarding their eggs. The Sergeant Major is one of the damselfishes, a family of small, compressed, deep-bodied fishes that are very common on coral reefs. Most damselfishes guard their eggs fiercely.

Look For : A deep-bodied, compressed damselfish. Yellow, with 5 vertical black bars.

Length : To 8".

Habitat : Coral reefs and associated habitats; often inshore around rocks and man-made structures.

Range : Atlantic coast from North Carolina to Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and southward.