Animal Species:Black-vent Damsel, Dischistodus melanotus (Bleeker, 1853)
The Black-vent Damsel is usually a solitary species found on shallow coastal reefs and lagoons.
Standard Common Name
The Black-vent Damsel is brown anterodorsally and white below. The upper half of the head is brown and the lower half is flecked with pink blotches and lines. There is a large black patch in front of the anal fin.
The species grows to 16 cm in length.
The Black-vent Damsel occurs in tropical marine waters of the Western Pacific.
In Australia it is known from the entire length of the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
Distribution by collection data
The species is usually found in lagoons and coastal reefs.
- Allen, G.R. 1991. Damselfishes of the World. Mergus. Pp. 271.
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 330.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.