Fauna
Fish

Garibaldi

Hypsypops rubicundus

Also known as Garibaldi Damselfish

The Garibaldi is a deep-bodied damselfish whose adults are uniformly brilliant orange and highly territorial around rocky reef shelters. Males clear and guard red-algal nest patches, while juveniles show electric-blue spots that fade as they mature.

Orange Reef FishTerritorial DamselfishAlgal Nest Guard
Garibaldi reference1 / 7
(c) Eric Kilby, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preySmall crustaceans, Marine worms, Bryozoans
Predators
  • Giant sea bass
  • California sea lions
  • Large kelp bass
ThreatsMarine heatwaves, reef degradation, pollution, disturbance of nests, and illegal collection
HabitatsRocky reefs, kelp forests, caves, and shallow subtropical coastal water
Life spanOften 12 to 17 years, with some individuals living longer
Classification
  1. FamilyPomacentridae
  2. SpeciesHypsypops rubicundus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Do not touch, chase, feed, collect, or disturb guarded nest patches.
Responsible observation
  • Age: Juveniles carry vivid blue spots; adults are nearly solid orange.
  • Territory: Back away if a fish repeatedly rushes from the same reef patch.
Related species

Related species have not been added yet.

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