Chromis chromis
| Chromis chromis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Pomacentridae |
| Genus: | Chromis |
| Species: | C. chromis |
| Binomial name | |
| Chromis chromis (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
The Damselfish (Chromis chromis) is a small Chromis fish from the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean.
Description
It can grow up to a size of 25 centimetres (9.8 in) in length, with a common length of 13 centimetres (5.1 in).
The body is oval, deep, laterally flattened. Very young specimens are brilliant iridescent blue in color, young specimens have blue stripes and dorsal and anal fins outlined with blue stripe, while adults are dark brown-blueish.
The head is short and fully scaled with large eyes. There is a single nostril on each side. The mouth is small, protractile; jaws are equipped with small teeth in three rows.
Distribution and habitat
It occurs in the Mediterranean Sea and eastern Atlantic, from Portugal to Angola.
Chromis chromis inhabits littoral, mainly in rocky areas from 2 to 40 metres (6.6 to 131.2 ft) in depth, in small shoals in midwater above or near rocky reefs and above sea-grass meadows.
Diet
It feeds on small zooplankton and benthic algae. Its main food components are copepods, appendicularia, cladocera, gastropod larvae, bivalve larvae, fish eggs and fish larvae.
Chromis chromis feeding patterns are altered when schools are confronted with an increase in top water activity, resultantly, the species obtained a behavioral response referred to as polarizing. Polarization occurs when the species dives to deeper depths, leaving their food behind, as a mechanism to avoid confrontation.[1]
Fishing
Due to small size Chromis chromis has minor role in commercial fishing. As a game fish, it is often caught during the day on light tackle. Small hooks are baited with bread, pasta, small chunks of fish, mussels, worms, small prawns etc.
It can be caught in fish traps and nets. Due to small size, it is rarely caught with a speargun.
Cuisine
White meat is soft and tender. Unfortunately, due to small size, it is mostly pan fried. Boiled with other small fish is used for fish soup. Larger specimens are prepared as part of mixed fish stew.
Reproduction
Spawning depends on location, but it occurs during summer.
References
- ↑ Bracciali, Claudia; Campobello, Daniela; Giacoma, Cristina; Sarà, Gianluca (2012-07-11). "Effects of Nautical Traffic and Noise on Foraging Patterns of Mediterranean Damselfish ( Chromis chromis )". PLOS ONE. 7 (7): e40582. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0040582. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 3394703
. PMID 22792375.
- Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2008). "Chromis chromis" in FishBase. December 2008 version.
- Review of Croatian selected scientific literature on species mostly exploited by the national small-scale fisheries PDF file on FAOAdriaMed.org
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