- Sergeant major (fish)
image_width = 200px
image_caption = Sergeant fish nearParaty ,Brazil
regnum =Animal ia
phylum = Chordata
classis =Actinopterygii
ordo =Perciformes
familia =Pomacentridae
genus = "Abudefduf "
species = "A. saxatilis"
binomial = "Abudefduf saxatilis"
binomial_authority = (Linnaeus, 1758)The Sergeant Major or píntano ("Abudefduf saxatilis", familyPomacentridae ) is a large, colourfuldamselfish . It earns its name from its brightly striped sides, which are reminiscent of the insignia of a militarySergeant Major . It grows to a length of about 15cm (6 inches).The fish feed upon the
larva e ofinvertebrate s,zooplankton , smaller fish,crustacean s and various species ofalgae . They are preyed upon by some members of theLabridae andSerranidae 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 theAtlantic , including off the south coast of theUnited States ,Central America , easternSouth America and westernAfrica . They are often found oncoral 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.References
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External links
* [http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?ID=1119&genusname=Abudefduf&speciesname=saxatilis FishBase entry for Sergeant Major]
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