Marine Life

Deep-reef chromis

Fun nilamehi

Chromis delta

Chromis delta is a common species in the Maldives, but it is often overlooked by snorkelers and divers due to its small size and its tendency to inhabit deep outer reef slopes. It is very similar to C. margaratifer, which is known to exist in the Eastern Indian Ocean to Central Pacific, and may also be present in the Maldives.

Details

§ 01

size: Common to 4 cm; max. 9 cm
color: Dark grey-brown, bluish-grey ventrally, with a broad white bar on caudal peduncle often edged anteriorly with black. A black spot covering pectoral fin base and axil.
order: Perciformes
family: Pomacentridae
image url: https://assets.explore.mv/fishes/chromis-delta.png
habitat and biology: This species is typically located on the shallower parts of reef slopes that are deeper than 25 meters. Its diet mainly consists of plankton.
distinctive characters: The dorsal fin has 12 spines and 12-14 rays, the anal fin has 2 spines and 12-14 rays, the pectoral rays range from 15-17, the body depth is 1.8-2.1 times the standard length, and the caudal fin lobes end in two filaments.