Imitator Damsel, Pomacentrus imitator (Whitley 1964)


Other Names: Imitator Damselfish

An Imitator Damsel, Pomacentrus imitator, on Tregosse Reef in the Coral Sea, November 2016. Source: Ian Shaw / iNaturalist.org. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial

Summary:
A dark bluish-grey damselfish shading to a white tail with darker scale margins forming a network pattern on the body, a large black spot covering the pectoral-fin base and pectoral-fin axil, and a narrow dark margin on the tail.
This species is currently only known from reefs in the Coral Sea in the Australian EEZ. Images in many publications are of Pomacentrus flavioculus, from Fiji and Tonga, which has a yellow tail.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2017, Pomacentrus imitator in Fishes of Australia, accessed 28 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/375

Imitator Damsel, Pomacentrus imitator (Whitley 1964)

More Info


Distribution

Endemic to reefs in the Coral Sea in the Australian EEZ. The type material was collected "from beyond the reef crest".

Remarks

The similar Pomacentrus flavioculus (from Fiji and Tonga) differs from P. imitator in the following characteristics: a bright yellow ring that encircles the pupil, a more uniform body color (vs. contrasting pale scale centers and dark scale margins in P. imitator), a yellowish caudal fin (vs. whitish in P. imitator), and a small orange marking immediately above the large black spot that covers the pectoral-fin base (absent in P. imitator).

Species Citation

Pseudopomacentrus imitator Whitley 1964, Rec. Aust. Mus. 26(5): 175. Type locality: Lihou Atoll, Coral Sea. 

Author

Bray, D.J. 2017

Resources

Australian Faunal Directory

Imitator Damsel, Pomacentrus imitator (Whitley 1964)

References


Allen, G.R. 1975. Damselfishes of the South Seas. Neptune City, New Jersey : T.F.H. Publications 240 pp. (as a synonym of Pomacentrus philippinus)

Allen, G.R. 1991. Damselfishes of the World. Melle, Germany : Mergus Verlag 271 pp. (Image is of a fish from Tonga, and is not Pomacentrus imitator)

Allen, G.R., Erdmann, M.V. & Pertiwi, P.D. (2017) Descriptions of four new species of damselfishes (Pomacentridae) in the Pomacentrus philippinus complex from the tropical western Pacific Ocean. Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation 25: 47–76. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.317395 PDF available, open access

Allen, G.R., Erdmann, M.V. & Pertiwi, P.D. (2017) Pomacentrus flavioculus, a new species of damselfish from Fiji and Samoa (Teleostei: Pomacentridae). Journal of the Ocean Science Foundation 28: 22–33. Open access, doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.896910

Randall, J.E. 2005. Reef and shore fishes of the South Pacific. New Caledonia to Tahiti and the Pitcairn Islands. Honolulu : University of Hawaii Press 707 pp. (image is of a fish from Fiji that is not Pomacentrus imitator)

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs (the image is not from Australia, and is of a different species of Pomacentrus)

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs. (the image is not from Australia, and is of a different species of Pomacentrus)

Whitley, G.P. 1964. Fishes from the Coral Sea and the Swain Reefs. Records of the Australian Museum 26(5): 145-195 figs 1-15 pls 8-10 http://dx.doi.org/10.3853/j.0067-1975.26.1964.673 PDF available

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37372113

Depth:2-15 m

Habitat:Reef associated

Max Size:8 cm SL

Native:Endemic

Species Image Gallery

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map