Brown Dottyback
Pseudochromis fuscus
- Usual depth1–17 m
- Water temperature23–30 °C
- Best monthsMay, October, and November
- How commonOccasional
About this species
Pseudochromis fuscus is a species of saltwater fish in the dottyback family. Dottybacks are generally very bright in color and relatively small, factors which have made them popular among aquarium enthusiasts. Besides their coloration and size, they are probably best known for their aggressive temperament. While many of the more common dottybacks are in the Pseudochromis genus, there are also species in other genera. Common names for this particular species include the brown dottyback, the golden dottyback, and the musky dottyback. The common name “Golden dottyback” is shared with another species of dottyback, the Pseudochromis pseudoplesiopinae. The species name, fuscus, means dark or dusky in Latin.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Pseudochromis fuscus”, 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: 43 records
- February: 42 records
- March: 29 records
- April: 31 records
- May: 68 records
- June: 42 records
- July: 43 records
- August: 42 records
- September: 60 records
- October: 71 records
- November: 67 records
- December: 31 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 1–17 m · Deepest record: 40.5 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 23–30 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Brown Dottyback
Names in 2 more languages
- Japanese
- Sedakanisemegisu, キビレニセスズメ, セダカニセスズメ, セダカニセメギス
- Simplified Chinese
- 准雀鯛, 棕擬雀鯛, 紅獅公, 紅貓仔, 褐擬雀鯛
Other scientific names: Onar nebulosum, Pseudochromis adustus, Pseudochromis aurea, Pseudochromis aureus, Pseudochromis fusca, Pseudochromis wildii, Pseudochromis xanthochir
Similar species
Marshall DottybackPseudochromis marshallensis
- Blue-barred Dottyback
Pseudochromis cyanotaenia
- Blackmargin Dottyback
Pseudochromis tapeinosoma
- Double-striped dottyback
Pseudochromis bitaeniatus
- Philippines Dottyback
Pseudochromis fowleri
- Purple-tailed Dottyback
Pseudochromis luteus
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).
- 1,875 open-data records from 1849 to 2023.
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