Stegastes variabilis

Cocoa damselfish | Yellow Demoiselle
Stegastes variabilis
Stegastes variabilis, Belize, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Stegastes variabilis
Stegastes variabilis, juvenile, Florida Keys, USA, Photo: Graham Edgar
Stegastes variabilis
Stegastes variabilis, Belize, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Stegastes variabilis
Stegastes variabilis, Belize, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Stegastes variabilis
Stegastes variabilis, Belize, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Stegastes variabilis
Stegastes variabilis, Florida Keys, USA, Photo: Graham Edgar
Stegastes variabilis
Stegastes variabilis, Abrolhos Islands, Brazil, Photo: Graham Edgar
Stegastes variabilis
Stegastes variabilis, Bocas del Toro, Panama, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Stegastes variabilis
Stegastes variabilis, Abrolhos Islands, Brazil, Photo: Graham Edgar
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Stegastes variabilis
Stegastes variabilis
Stegastes variabilis
Stegastes variabilis
Stegastes variabilis
Stegastes variabilis
Stegastes variabilis
Stegastes variabilis
Stegastes variabilis

Distribution

Tropical Atlantic/Caribbean


Description

Yellow-orange with a blue top of head and back, ocellus on dorsal fin and another on top of tail base, which may not be present. Can be aggressively territorial.


Information

Max Size: 13 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 22.1-31.1°C

Depth: 0-30m

Habitat Generalization Index: 15.74

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Not Evaluated

Occurrence: Common (21.1% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Several (8 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: Joe Shields