Common Name: Whitley’s Sergeant

Distribution: Relatively common throughout the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Known from the western Pacific region including Australia, New Caledonia and the Coral Sea. ln Australia recorded from north Queensland south to northern New South Wales.

Ecological Notes: Inhabits rocky reef areas, may be found singly or in feeding aggregations over 100 or more individuals. Usually found in relatively shallow water but in northern NSW may be found to 15m depth and sometimes with other members of the same genus, particularly Abudefduf vaigiensis. 

Additional Notes: Six dark bars, the posterior three sometimes faint and difficult to distinguish, dark pointed trailing edge of dorsal and anal fins. Distinct pairing during breeding with eggs adhering to the substrate. Males guard and aerate the eggs until hatching takes place.  Grows to 14cm. 

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.237.