About Stegastes variabilis (Castelnau, 1855)
The Brazilian cocoa damselfish, scientifically named Stegastes variabilis (Castelnau, 1855), is an oval, laterally compressed fish that reaches a maximum length of around 12.5 centimetres (4.9 inches). Several blue stripes run across the top of its head and snout. The upper portion of its body is typically dark brown, blue, or brown, fading to yellow on the lower half of its body. Its sides are marked with fine, dark, obliquely vertical bars. Two small black spots are present: one located above the pectoral fins, and a second on the top of the caudal peduncle. Its large dorsal fin has 12 spines and 14 to 17 soft rays, while its anal fin has two spines and 12 to 15 soft rays. Its caudal fin is shallowly forked with rounded lobes.
This species of damselfish is found in the western Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Brazil. It is a marine, reef-associated fish that does not migrate, and it occurs at depths ranging from 0 to 30 metres.
