About Microspathodon chrysurus (Cuvier, 1830)
The yellowtail damselfish, Microspathodon chrysurus, is a damselfish species native to tropical regions including the Caribbean coast of Panama. Damselfish are abundant in coral reef habitats. The International Union for Conservation of Nature categorizes this species as least concern. It is harvested on a small scale for both commercial fisheries and the aquarium trade, and it may face threats from invasive lionfish. Adult and young adult yellowtail damselfish show striking differences in body coloration. This difference was so large that researchers once considered adult and young individuals to be two separate species. Adult yellowtail damselfish are brown with a yellow caudal fin, while young adults are violet with blue spots on their backs and transparent caudal fins. The spawning cycle of this species begins at sunrise, and lasts roughly one hour after male damselfish prepare nests on dead coral surfaces. The species produces demersal eggs, which stick to the substrate. Males guard and aerate these eggs after they are laid. Hatching takes place on the morning of the sixth day of incubation. Reproductive activity reaches its peak during the lunar period between the full moon and new moon. At this point in the lunar cycle, the combined gravitational pull of the sun and moon is very strong, creating spring tides.
