Species profile
Atlantic Sergeant Major
Abudefduf saxatilis
At a glance
Atlantic Sergeant Major (Abudefduf saxatilis) is an IUCN Least Concern bony-fish species present across the CatchRules coverage area but without species-specific bag, size, or season rules tracked in our regulatory dataset.
Confirmed by 2,223 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with Florida, Texas, and North Carolina the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Named for five dark vertical bars that resemble a military sergeant major's rank insignia.
- Males guard egg patches and darken to deep blue during active nest defense.
- Range spans from Rhode Island south through Brazil, including the entire Caribbean.
- Often aggregates in large groups near floating Sargassum mats and offshore debris lines.
- An opportunistic omnivore eating algae, small crustaceans, fish eggs, and larvae.
Where Atlantic Sergeant Major are seen
Background
The sergeant major or píntano (Abudefduf saxatilis) is a species of damselfish. It grows to a maximum length of about 22.9 centimetres (9.0 in).
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Atlantic Sergeant Major article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other bony fish on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.