Canary damsel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Canary damsel |
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The Canary damsel (scientific name: Similiparma lurida) is a type of ocean fish. It belongs to the Pomacentridae family, which includes many colorful fish found in coral reefs. This fish mostly lives in warm, shallow parts of the eastern Atlantic Ocean. It's also sometimes called the Cape Verde gregory.
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What Does the Canary Damsel Look Like?
The Canary damsel has big eyes. Its body is usually black or brownish-black. The bottom part of its body is a bit lighter. Its fins often have pretty blue edges. Young Canary damsels, called juveniles, might even have stripes on their sides.
When it's time to mate, adult males and females can look a bit different from each other. This is called sexual dimorphism. These fish can grow up to about 15 centimeters (about 6 inches) long.
Where Do Canary Damsels Live?
Canary damsels love rocky areas close to the shore in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. You can find them in places like Macaronesia, which includes islands such as Madeira, the Azores, the Savage Islands, the Canary Islands, and Cape Verde. They also live near Senegal.
These fish usually swim in waters up to about 25 meters (82 feet) deep. Young Canary damsels sometimes hang out in tide pools, which are small pools of water left behind by the ocean at low tide.
What Do Canary Damsels Eat?
Canary damsels are not picky eaters! They mostly munch on algae, which are like tiny plants that grow in the water. They also eat small invertebrates, which are little creatures without backbones, like tiny worms or crustaceans.
How Do Canary Damsels Reproduce?
When Canary damsels lay their eggs, the eggs stick to rocks or other surfaces on the seafloor. These eggs are called demersal eggs. The male fish builds a nest for the eggs. He then guards them carefully until they hatch, making sure they are safe from danger.
Canary Damsels and Humans
Sometimes, people catch Canary damsels to keep them in saltwater aquariums. However, this is done on a very small scale, meaning not many are caught for this purpose.
Scientists who study fish populations have found that the Canary damsel is doing well. There's no sign that their numbers are going down. Plus, they live in many protected ocean areas. Because of this, the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) says the Canary damsel is a species of "Least Concern." This means they are not currently at risk of becoming endangered.
Images for kids
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