''Stegastes acapulcoensis'', commonly called the Acapulco major, the Acapulco damselfish, or the Acapulco gregory, is a species of

damselfish Damselfish are those within the subfamilies Abudefdufinae, Chrominae, Lepidozyginae, Pomacentrinae, and Stegastenae within the family Pomacentridae. Most species within this group are relatively small, with the largest species being about ...

of the

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

Pomacentridae. It is native to the eastern

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contin ...

Distribution and habitat

''S. acapulcoensis'' is native to the tropical and subtropical eastern Pacific Ocean. Its range extends from

Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...

and Mexico to the

Cocos Islands ) , anthem = "''Advance Australia Fair''" , song_type = , song = , image_map = Australia on the globe (Cocos (Keeling) Islands special) (Southeast Asia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands , map_caption = ...

, the Galapagos Islands, and Lobos de Afuera Island in the

Lambayeque Region Lambayeque () is a department and region in northwestern Peru known for its rich Moche and Chimú historical past. The region's name originates from the ancient pre-Inca civilization of the '' Lambayeque''. It is the second-smallest departmen ...

of Peru. It is found on or near reefs at depths down to about . It is often found over sandy seabeds and in tide pools, but also sometimes in rocky or coralline habitats.

Ecology

This fish feeds on algae. ''Stegastes acapulcoensis'' farms and guards algae in its territory.

Status

''Stegastes acapulcoensis'' is common in many parts of its range and in the Galapagos Islands the population seems to be increasing. No particular threats have been identified and the IUCN rate it as being of "

least concern A least-concern species is a species that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as evaluated as not being a focus of species conservation because the specific species is still plentiful in the wild. T ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2632915 acapulcoensis Fish described in 1944