Sergeant major (fish)
Template:Short description Template:Speciesbox The sergeant major or píntano (Abudefduf saxatilis) is a species of damselfish. It grows to a maximum length of about Template:Cvt.<ref name=fishbase>{{#invoke:Cite taxon|main|fishbase|genus=|species=|subspecies=}}</ref>
Distribution and habitatEdit
Abudefduf saxatilis is found in the Atlantic Ocean.<ref name=fishbase/> Populations in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean are found from the northeastern coast of the United States south to the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, islands around the Caribbean Sea, and the eastern coast of Central and South America to Uruguay.<ref name=fishbase/> In the eastern Atlantic, they are found from Portugal, the Azores, the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, and western Africa.<ref name=fishbase/> Its distribution remains unclear in the Mediterranean Sea due to possible confusion with A. vaigiensis and A. troschelii.<ref>Atlas of Exotic Fishes in the Mediterranean Sea (Abudefduf saxatilis). 2nd Edition. 2021. 366p. CIESM Publishers, Paris, Monaco.https://ciesm.org/atlas/fishes_2nd_edition/Abudefduf_saxatilis.pdf</ref> Juveniles are common in tidal pools, while adults are found over coral reefs.<ref name=fishbase/> Sergeant majors are found down to Template:Convert.<ref name=fishbase/>
DescriptionEdit
Adults can grow to a maximum of Template:Convert,<ref name=fishbase/> but more typically grow to Template:Convert.<ref name=fishbase/> The largest recorded specimen weighed had a weight of Template:Convert.<ref name=fishbase/> A. saxatilis has 13 dorsal spines, 12 to 13 dorsal soft rays, two anal spines, and 10 to 12 anal soft rays.<ref name=fishbase/> This fish is white with a yellow top. It has five black or dark blue, vertical stripes. A faint sixth stripe might be present on the caudal peduncle.<ref name=fishbase/> Adult males have a more bluish coloration and their stripes are less visible.<ref name=fishbase/> A dark spot surrounds their pectoral fins.
EcologyEdit
DietEdit
This fish feeds upon the larvae of invertebrates, zooplankton (such as copepods and shrimp larvae), pelagic tunicates, smaller fish, crustaceans, and various species of algae (both benthic and pelagic).<ref name=fishbase/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is also known to feed on the waste and vomit of spinner dolphins.<ref name=fishbase/>
BehaviorEdit
Individuals of this species form shoals of about several hundred individuals.<ref name=fishbase/> Sometimes, they get cleaned of parasites by fish species, such as gobies in the genus Gobiosoma, Bodianus rufus, Elacatinus figaro, and Thalassoma noronhanum.<ref name=fishbase/> Sergeant majors also clean green sea turtles along with Acanthurus chirurgus and Acanthurus coeruleus.<ref name=fishbase/>
PredatorsEdit
Predators of this fish include Plectropomus leopardus, Thalassoma bifasciatum, Cephalopholis cruentata, Epinephelus striatus, Mycteroperca venenosa, and Rachycentron canadum.<ref name=fishbase/>
In the aquariumEdit
They are found in the aquarium trade, but are regarded as difficult to breed.<ref name = TFHM>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
ReproductionEdit
The sergeant major is an oviparous species in which the males create nests on rocks, reef outcrops, shipwrecks, and pilings, where the females lay their egg masses.<ref name = Smithsonian>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The males actively chase the females in courtship before the female releases about 200,000 ref, ovoid eggs, which are attached to the substrate by a filament; the eggs turn greenish after a few days and are guarded by the male. As he guards the eggs, the male becomes bluish in colour, guarding them for about a week.<ref name = FloridaMuseum/>
EtymologyEdit
Sergeant majors earn their name from their brightly striped sides, known as bars, which are reminiscent of the insignia of a military sergeant major.<ref name = FloridaMuseum>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>