Dr. John Ernest (Jack) Randall (†), Hawaii
Info
The damselfish Pomacentrus spilotoceps originally occurred microendmically only in the waters around Tonga and Fiji, where the damselfish lived(e) in protected fringing reefs in shallow lagoons until Ronald Fricke and Michel Kulbiki listed the damselfish in the "Checklist of the shore fishes of New Caledonia" just for New Caledonia.
Between Fiji and New Caledonia are about 1,350 kilometers, between Tonga and New Caledonia 1,989 kilometers, distances that seem quite suitable for larval drift.
The perch is brown with black scale margins, the caudal fin is yellow, and the blue fin margins and orange spots on the breast are also conspicuous.
There are also dot spots on the gill cover, and the chest and belly are covered in orange, see photos by Keoki & Yuko Stender of Marinelife Photography.
Etymology: The name of this species is Pomacentrus spilotoceps from the Greek word "spilotoceps" for "spotted" and "ceps" for "head".
Between Fiji and New Caledonia are about 1,350 kilometers, between Tonga and New Caledonia 1,989 kilometers, distances that seem quite suitable for larval drift.
The perch is brown with black scale margins, the caudal fin is yellow, and the blue fin margins and orange spots on the breast are also conspicuous.
There are also dot spots on the gill cover, and the chest and belly are covered in orange, see photos by Keoki & Yuko Stender of Marinelife Photography.
Etymology: The name of this species is Pomacentrus spilotoceps from the Greek word "spilotoceps" for "spotted" and "ceps" for "head".
