Galapagos ringtail damselfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Galapagos ringtail damselfish |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Pomacentridae |
| Genus: | Stegastes |
| Species: |
S. beebei
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| Binomial name | |
| Stegastes beebei (Nichols, 1924)
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| Synonyms | |
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Eupomacentrus beebei Nichols, 1924 |
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The Stegastes beebei is a cool fish known as the Galapagos ringtail damselfish. You can find it living on coral and rocky reefs, usually not deeper than 15 meters (about 50 feet). These fish can be a bit bossy and will chase away smaller fish that come too close to their home. They eat both plants and small animals, like tiny crabs and the soft parts of sea anemones. When it's time to have babies, the male and female fish pair up. The eggs stick to the bottom of the ocean, and the dad fish takes care of them, making sure they get enough air.
What Do They Look Like?
The Galapagos ringtail damselfish has an oval, flat body. It can grow up to 17 centimeters (about 6.7 inches) long. Its mouth is small, with teeth in a single row. It has one long fin on its back called a dorsal fin. Its tail fin is slightly forked.
These fish are usually dark brown, with darker outlines on their scales. They often have a white band near their tail. Their eyes are blue, and the outer edges of their pectoral fins (the ones on their sides) are white or yellow. Young damselfish look a bit different. They are dark with a red neck and upper back. They also have a dark spot near the back of their dorsal fin.
Where Do They Live?
You can find the Galapagos ringtail damselfish in the eastern Pacific Ocean. They live near Panama, Malpelo Island in Colombia, Cocos Island (which is also part of Panama), and the famous Galápagos Islands.
Why Are They Called That?
The scientific name for this fish, beebei, honors an American naturalist and explorer named William Beebe (1877-1962). He was a member of the New York Zoological Society.
 | Victor J. Glover |
 | Yvonne Cagle |
 | Jeanette Epps |
 | Bernard A. Harris Jr. |
