Microspathodon dorsalis (Gill, 1862)

Common Name and Baseline Habitat

Microspathodon dorsalis (Gill, 1862), commonly called the giant damselfish, is a fish species that lives on rocky reefs located below the surf zone, at depths between 1 and 25 meters. Its diet consists primarily of low-profile algae that grow attached to surfaces.

Territorial Behavior

Giant damselfish are territorial: they drive away other fish and approaching divers to defend both their feeding and reproductive territories.

Reproductive Strategy

This species is oviparous, and forms distinct breeding pairs during the breeding season. The eggs of the giant damselfish are demersal, meaning they stick to the underwater substrate.

Egg Parental Care

After laying, males guard and aerate the eggs.

Eastern Pacific Distribution Range

This species is distributed in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, ranging from the central Gulf of California to Malpelo Island, Colombia. Its distribution also includes the Revillagigedo Islands, Cocos Island, and the Galápagos Islands.