Common Name: Bengal Sergeant

Distribution: Relatively common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Widespread tropical west Pacific to southern Japan and east Indian Ocean. In Australia recorded from central Western Australia, across the north, Queensland and south to northern New South Wales, including Lord Howe Island.

Ecological Notes: Frequent shallow rocky reef in coastal bays and estuaries, shallow water around offshore islands. Depth to about 10m.

Additional Notes: Distinguished from similar damsels by seven vertical dark bars and with rounded tail with white margin. Found singly or in small aggregations. Males guard eggs, often on exposed rock faces. Note eggs on substrate in background, specimen pictured likely protecting them from wrasse predators. Grows to 17cm.

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.236.