Order : Uncertain
Family : POMACENTRIDAE
Species : Abudefduf bengalensis
Maximum Length : 17 cm

As of 2019, Fishbase recognises 19 species of the genus Abudefduf, of which 6 or so are known from Southeast Asia waters. These are laterally compressed, shallow-water feeders which typically bear 5 to 7 dark bars on their flanks. They are usually referred to as 'sergeants' or 'sergeant-majors'.

The Bengal Sergeant, or 'Narrow-banded Sergeant Major', Abudefduf bengalensis reaches around 17 cm total length. Its dorsal fin is relatively large for the genus, and each lobe of the forked tail fin is rounded. It bears 6 or 7 narrow dark bars on silvery or pale yellowish flanks.

This species is associated with warm, tropical, inshore coral reefs and shallow, protected coastal lagoons. It is omnivorous and is known to feed on small crustaceans, gastropods and algal matter.

It ranges from the northern and eastern Indian Ocean, through Southeast Asia to the western Pacific Ocean including Papua New Guinea, Japan and Australia.

Figs 1 to 3 : A shoal of Bengal Sergeant from the island of Pangkor Laut, Perak, Peninsular Malaysia next to a boat jetty. At the edge of the shoal, in Figure 2, are examples of the closely-related Indo-Pacific Sergeant, which has darker barring and bright yellow upper flanks


References and links :

Fishbase - Abudefduf bengalensis