Stegastes leucorus

Stegastes leucorus
Revillagigedo Islands
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Blenniiformes
Family:	Pomacentridae
Genus:	Stegastes
Species:	S. leucorus
Binomial name
Stegastes leucorus (Gilbert, 1892)
Synonyms
List Eupomacentrus leucorus (Gilbert, 1892) Pomacentrus elaimelas Fowler, 1944 Pomacentrus leucorus Gilbert, 1892 Stegastes leucorus leucorus (Gilbert, 1892)

Stegastes leucorus, commonly known as the whitetail damselfish, the whitetail gregory or the whitetail major, is a damselfish of the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean.

Distribution and habitat

Stegastes leucorus is native to the tropical eastern central Pacific Ocean. Its range extends from Mexico and Baja California to the Revillagigedo Islands and Guadalupe Island. It inhabits rocky and coral inshore reefs where it is found at depths down to about 15 m (49 ft).

Behaviour

They are known to clean a rock face where they intend to lay eggs by sucking up and blowing sand grains onto the surface.

Status

This fish is common in parts of the Revillagigedo Islands but uncommon on the mainland coast. It is estimated that 90% of its total population is confined to a single area of the Revillagigedo Islands, a total occupancy of less than 2,000 km² (772 sq mi). Because of its shallow water habitat and limited range, the IUCN has listed it as "Vulnerable" since El Niño events periodically affect this area.

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  In the Revillagigedo Islands