Abudefduf saxatilis
Sergeant Major
Maximum Size:
9 in (23 cm)
Longevity:
Unknown, possibly 5 years.
Typical depth:
3–33 ft (1–10 m)
Behavior:
Sergeant majors get their name from their telltale black bars that resemble military stripes. They are usually found in shallow water, typically along the tops of reefs, and often form large feeding schools of up to a few hundred individuals.
Predators:
Grouper and jacks.
Did you know?
Sergeant major males guard nests of nearly 200,000 eggs attached to the substrate. They take on a dark bluish hue when guarding, and will defend the nest for the week it takes the eggs to hatch.
