Common Name: Black-axil Chromis

Distribution: Common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region, from the Seychelles to Fiji, north to Ryukyu. In Australia recorded from northern Western Australia, the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, south to northern New South Wales and including Lord Howe Island.

Ecological Notes: Frequents coral and offshore clear water reef habitats, often in thickets of live or dead coral. Depth to 29 m.

Additional Notes: Colour may vary from pale green to blue. Distinguished from similar C. viridis (Blue Green Puller) by dark spot on pectoral fin base. Feeds on zooplankton and detritus in water column. Retreats to the safety of corals if approached too closely. Eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate where they are aerated and guarded by the male. Grows to 12 cm.

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.246.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. http://fishbase.ca/summary/Chromis-atripectoralis.html. Accessed 11/05/18.