Fish
Black-axil Chromis
Chromis atripectoralisAlso known as Blackfin Chromis, Blue-Green Puller
Shimmering shoals hover in dazzling blue-green clouds directly above branching staghorn corals, snapping up drifting zooplankton carried along by reef currents. At the first hint of an approaching predator, the entire school darts downward in tight synchrony to vanish deep within the coral skeleton. A subtle dark blotch tucked inside the base of each pectoral fin distinguishes them from other look-alike damselfish.
Reef FishSchoolingIndo-Pacific
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyCopepods, Amphipods, Crab zoea
Predators
- Coral trout
- Peacock grouper
- Bluefin trevally
ThreatsCoral bleaching, reef degradation, and destructive fishing practices
HabitatsSheltered lagoons, shallow outer reef slopes, and branching coral heads
Life span5–8 years
Classification
- OrderPerciformes
- FamilyPomacentridae
- GenusChromis
- SpeciesChromis atripectoralis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Snorkeling Technique: Float quietly over branching coral heads to allow them to rise back into open water.
- Spotting Field Marks: Look closely at the inner base of the pectoral fin in sunlight to spot the black mark.
Shelter Host (c) Ryan McMinds, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Predator (c) portioid, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Michael Bakker Paiva, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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