Neon Damsel, Pomacentrus coelestis Jordan & Starks 1901

Other Names: Blue Damsel

A Blue Damsel, Pomacentrus coelestis, at North West Solitary Island, New South Wales. Source: Ian V. Shaw / Reef Life Survey. License: CC by Attribution

Summary:

A brilliant neon blue damselfish with a yellowish tail, and blue or yellow pelvic and anal fins.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2019, Pomacentrus coelestis in Fishes of Australia, accessed 18 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/2341

Neon Damsel, Pomacentrus coelestis Jordan & Starks 1901

More Info

Distribution	Rottnest Island, Western Australia, around the tropical north to Merimbula, New South Wales, including offshore reefs of Western Australia and reefs in the Coral Sea; also Ashmore and Cartier Islands in the Timor Sea, Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean, and Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea. Elsewhere, the species is widespread in the tropical, east-Indo-west-central Pacific.
Similar Species	The similar Blue Damselfish, Pomacentrus pavo, is pale neon blue to bluish-green with dark vertical streaks on the scales, a dark spot on the upper part of the gill cover, scattered blue spots and streaks on the head, and the rear part of the tail is yellowish.
Species Citation	Pomacentrus coelestis Jordan & Starks, 1901, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci. 3 2(8): 383, Pl. 21. Type locality: Wakanoura, Japan.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2019
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Neon Damsel, Pomacentrus coelestis Jordan & Starks 1901

References

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Jordan, D.S. & Starks, E.C. 1901. Descriptions of three new species of fishes from Japan. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 3 2(8): 381-386 pls 20-21 See ref at BHL

Kingsford, M.J., O'Callaghan, M.D., Liggins, L. & Gerlach, G. 2017. The short-lived neon damsel Pomacentrus coelestis: implications for population dynamics. Journal of Fish BIology 90: 2041–2059. doi:10.1111/jfb.13288 Abstract

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Sorenson, L., Allen, G.R., Erdmann, M.V. Dai, C-F., Liu, S-Y.V. 2014. Pleistocene diversification of the Pomacentrus coelestis species complex (Pisces: Pomacentridae): historical biogeography and species boundaries. Marine Biology 161(11): 2495-2507. DOI:10.1007/s00227-014-2521-8