About Dascyllus marginatus (Rüppell, 1829)
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
Dascyllus marginatus (Rüppell, 1829), commonly called the marginate dascyllus or Red Sea dascyllus, is a damselfish species that is endemic to the Western Indian Ocean.
Habitat Association
This fish is site-attached and lives among corals, most commonly Stylophora pistillata and species in the genus Acropora.
Coral Usage Behavior
It hides in these corals when it detects danger and sleeps within them at night.
Diet and Size
It feeds on zooplankton that drifts with the water current, and reaches a maximum total length of 6 cm.
Group Structure
This species lives in groups ranging from 2 to 25 individuals.
Foraging Behavior
When group members forage for food around their home coral, each individual maintains a separate, stable foraging space.
Human Use
It sometimes enters the aquarium trade, and is collected for use in home aquariums.
