Fish · La Saladita, Guerrero

Giant Damselfish

Microspathodon dorsalis

Spanish: Jaqueta gigante

Giant Damselfish (Microspathodon dorsalis)
Photographed by vanillakeys on iNaturalist

The giant damselfish (Microspathodon dorsalis) inhabit rocky reefs, below the surf zone at depths of 1–25 m. They feed mainly on low-profile, attached algae. They defend both feeding and reproductive territories by driving off other fishes and divers who come too close. They are oviparous, and form distinct pairings during breeding. The eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate. Males guard and aerate the eggs.

TaxonomyActinopterygii › Blenniiformes › Pomacentridae
Local records42 research-grade observations within about 50 km of La Saladita (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones)
Global records2,402 on iNaturalist
Most recent records2025 – 2026
Months of the 8 most recent records
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Recent local sightings

Interactive card with more photos, sounds and similar species Fish guide iNaturalist Wikipedia

Cite as: “Giant Damselfish (Microspathodon dorsalis) at La Saladita”, La Saladita Field Guide, lasaladita.com/species/microspathodon-dorsalis/, updated 2026-09-26. Observation counts and months come from iNaturalist research-grade records within about 50 km of 17.8375°N, 101.7606°W (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones); summary text from Wikipedia where present.