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Bicolor Dottyback

Pictichromis diadema

  • Fish
  • IUCN: Least concern
  • Usual depth13–35 m
  • Water temperature28–29 °C
  • Best monthsMarch
  • How commonRare
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Photo credit: (c) Rickard Zerpe, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist

About this species

Pictichromis diadema, the diadem dottyback, is a member of the family Pseudochromidae. These fish are primarily yellow with a purple stripe that runs along the length of their body and back into the dorsal fin.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Pictichromis diadema”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

  • January: 4 records
  • February: 2 records
  • March: 17 records
  • April: 8 records
  • May: 7 records
  • June: 8 records
  • July: 2 records
  • August: 2 records
  • September: 2 records
  • October: 2 records
  • November: 6 records
  • December: 6 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 13–35 m · Deepest record: 35.1 m

  • 10–20 m: 3 records
  • 20–30 m: 3 records
  • 30–40 m: 3 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 28–29 °C

  • 28–30 °C: 18 records

Names and classification

English
Bicolor Dottyback, Diadem Dottyback, Purple-top Dottyback, Purpletop Dottyback
Names in 1 more languages
Simplified Chinese
准雀鯛, 紅獅公, 紅貓仔, 紫紅背繡雀鯛

Other scientific names: Pseudochromis diadema

Similar species

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

  • Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
  • Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
  • Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
  • 53 open-data records from 1994 to 2016.
  • Species data updated October 26, 2026.

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