Banded Damsel

Description: Readily identified by the dark body with white barring (Ref. 48636). Overall dark brown, vertical bars white broad on body, narrow on caudal peduncle. Juvenile bands broader, saddle on caudal peduncle. Body depth 2.1-2.2 in SL (Ref. 90102).

Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205). Eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate (Ref. 205). Males guard and aerate the eggs (Ref. 205).

Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13 - 14; Analspines: 2; Analsoft rays: 13 - 14

Adults inhabit silty lagoon and coastal reefs around coral outcrops and seagrass beds (Ref. 9710). Often adjacent to clear mangrove coasts among rubble and Sargassum algae, to a few meters depth (Ref. 48636). Also Ref. 58652. Diurnal species (Ref. 52881).

Adults inhabit silty lagoon and coastal reefs around coral outcrops and seagrass beds (Ref. 9710). Often adjacent to clear mangrove coasts among rubble and Sargassum algae, to a few meters depth (Ref. 48636). Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205). Eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate (Ref. 205). Males guard and aerate the eggs (Ref. 205). Diurnal species (Ref. 52881).

分布於西太平洋區，包括台灣、印尼、菲律賓與澳洲北部等。台灣南部偶可見。

中小型之雀鯛，可食用，一般不為漁獲對象魚。有人將其作觀賞魚之用。

體呈橢圓形而側扁，標準體長為體高之 2.0-2.1倍。唇薄。吻部裸出無鱗。眼中大，上側位。口小，上頜骨末端不及眼前緣；齒二列。眶下骨及眶前骨間無缺刻；僅前鰓蓋骨和眶下骨後緣皆具鋸齒。體被櫛鱗；側線之有孔鱗片16-17個。背鰭單一，軟條部不延長而略呈角形，硬棘XIII，軟條 13-14；臀鰭硬棘II，軟條13-14；胸鰭鰭條17-18；尾鰭叉形，上下葉末端略呈圓形。體一致呈暗色，腹部偏白；體側具數條白橫帶。吻部白色。

主要棲息於淤泥的潟湖與岸礁區中珊瑚露頭與海草床的周圍。亦時常棲息於鄰近碎石區與馬尾藻區到水深數公尺深度之水層的清澈紅樹林海岸。