POMACENTRIDAE


Pomacentrus moluccensis, 5.0 cm SL
(photo by Ukkrit Satapoomin)


Pomacentrus moluccensis
Bleeker, 1853
Lemon Damsel

D XIII, 14-15; A II, 14-15; P1 17; LLp 17-18.

Body ovate, compressed. Posterior margin of preopercle serrate. Suborbital naked, with serrate ventral margin. Teeth on jaws biserial, incisor-like. Caudal fin emarginate; no conspicuous projecting spine-like rays at upper and lower edges of caudal-fin base. Color: head, body and fins yellow, darkened dorsally; head with blue lines and spots; a minute black spot at dorsal end of gill opening; subequal or slightly larger black spot (smaller than that of similar congener P. amboinensis) at dorsalmost part of pectoral-fin base; no ocellus at dorsal fin in both juvenile and adult. Size: 5.5 cm SL. Distribution: Eastern Indian Ocean, Andaman Sea and Western Pacific. Remarks: found in coral reefs; chiefly feeds on algae.