Sergeant major
Abudefduf saxatilis
- Scientific name
- Abudefduf saxatilis
- Group
- Reef fish
- Rarity
- Common
- Where to see it
- Caribbean & Tropical Atlantic, Indo-Pacific & Red Sea
- Conservation status (IUCN)
- Least concern
Did you know?
The sergeant major gets its name from the black and yellow bars across its body, reminiscent of military rank stripes. The male fiercely guards the eggs laid on the rocks, constantly fanning them with his fins to keep them oxygenated.
What defines this group — Reef fish
The bony fish that live against coral and rock: the living backdrop of almost every dive.
- A bony skeleton, scales, and a rigid gill cover closing over the gills.
- A swim bladder acts as a float: they hold their depth without swimming.
- Many change colour, pattern — sometimes even sex — over the course of their life.
Other species in this group
- Ocellaris clownfish
- Blue tang
- Red lionfish
- Spot-fin porcupinefish
- Mediterranean moray
- Clark's anemonefish