Blue-green Damselfish (species: Chromis viridis) in taxonomy (Gaia Guide)
Animalia > Bilateria > Deuterostomia > Chordata > Vertebrata > Pisces > Actinopterygii > Neopterygii > Teleostei > Acanthopterygii > Perciformes > Labroidei > Pomacentridae > Chromis > Chromis viridis (gallery)
Chromis viridis
Blue-green Damselfish


©Citron: Blue-green Damselfish (Chromis viridis)

©Richard Ling: Blue-green Damselfish (Chromis viridis)

©Andy: Courting pair of Blue-green pullers, Lizard Island.

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Perciformes
Family Pomacentridae
Genus Chromis
Species Chromis viridis
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Colours

                   

Distinguishing features

It has no dark marking at base of pectoral fin.

Size

  • Up to 8 cm (Total Length)

Depth range

  • From 0 m to 12 m

Synonyms

Comments

This fish has the sky in its skin.

The gases in our atmosphere are bigger than the wavelength of blue light (the up and down movement) and so the waves bounce off in all directions and continue bouncing until the entire sky is blue.

The same thing happens when light hits a blue-green chromis.

These fish scatter blue all over the reef and although you can’t see it, when you snorkel near them you are bathed in blue light.

by David Witherall

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Distribution and habitat preferences

Adults are found in large aggregations above thickets of branching Acropora corals in sheltered areas such as subtidal reef flats and lagoons. Juveniles closely tied to individual coral heads (FishBase).

Web resources

References

  • Bay, L.K. (2005). The population genetic structure of coral reef fishes on the Great Barrier Reef, Ph.D. thesis, James Cook University. LIRS catalog number 967.
  • Bay, L.K., K. Buechler, M. Gagliano and M.J. Caley (2006). Intraspecific variation in the pelagic larval duration of tropical reef fishes, Journal of Fish Biology, 68: 1206-1214. LIRS catalog number 958.
  • Burger, M.A.A. and R.D. Adlard (2010). Four new species of Kudoa Meglitsch, 1947 (Myxosporea: Multivalvulida) from Australia with recommendations for species descriptions in the Kudoidae, Parasitology, 137: 793-814. LIRS catalog number 1318.
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