''Microspathodon bairdii'', the bumphead damselfish, is a species of

ray-finned fish Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fishes, is a class of bony fish. They comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. The ray-finned fishes are so called because their fins are webs of skin supported by bony or hor ...

from the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Pomacentridae Pomacentridae is a family of ray-finned fish, comprising the damselfishes and clownfishes. This family were formerly placed in the order Perciformes but are now regarded as being ''incertae sedis'' in the subseries Ovalentaria in the clade Perco ...

. It is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

Description

''Microspathodon bairdii'' is a large damselfish reaching in

standard length Fish measurement is the measuring of individual fish and various parts of their anatomies. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology. Overall length * Standard length (SL) is the length of a fish m ...

. The adults are dark brown or black, have purple eyes and sport a large bump on their foreheads. Juveniles are bright blue on their backs, with orange or yellow on the underside.

Distribution

''Microspathodon bairdii'' is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the Eastern Pacific where its occurs from the mouth of the

Gulf of California The Gulf of California ( es, Golfo de California), also known as the Sea of Cortés (''Mar de Cortés'') or Sea of Cortez, or less commonly as the Vermilion Sea (''Mar Bermejo''), is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean that separates the Baja Ca ...

in Mexico south to Ecuador. Its range includes the Revillagigedo, Cocos, Malpelo and Galapagos Islands.

Habitat and biology

''Microspathodon bairdii'' occurs on rocky inshore reefs exposed to wave action and currents, being found down to . It is most frequently recorded in the vicinity large boulders in the shallow subtidal zone. In the

Gulf of Chiriquí The Gulf of Chiriquí is a part of Panama that encompasses Coiba National Park and Golfo de Chiriquí National Park. There are dozens of islands in this Gulf. Along with the islands of Coiba National Park there is also Islas Secas, Los Ladro ...

, Panamá, the bumphead damselfish is found among huge corals and exposed shallow rocky reefs. It is mainly herbivorous, feeding on algae, but will take a hook baited with animal matter and will readily eat meat in the aquarium. They form pairs to breed and the eggs are laid in crevices in rocks where there is a strong current, on the leeward side of the current. The eggs are hoarded and aerated by the male.

Etymology

The person that Gill was honouring with the

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

has not been identified but it is very probably

Spencer Fullerton Baird Spencer Fullerton Baird (; February 3, 1823 – August 19, 1887) was an American naturalist, ornithologist, ichthyologist, Herpetology, herpetologist, and museum curator. Baird was the first curator to be named at the Smithsonian Institution. He ...

who was director of the

United States National Museum The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...

where the

type specimen In biology, a type is a particular wiktionary:en:specimen, specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to a ...

is located.

References

External links

* {{Taxonbar, From = Q2162629 bairdii Fish described in 1862