Galapagos Species Database
The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.
Microspathodon bairdii
damisela cabeza chichón, jaqueta vistosa, Sheepshead mickey, bumphead damselfish
Large, somewhat elongate, disk-shaped. Usually dark brown, occasionally orangish brown or grayish; can pale or darken areas of body (such as head only) or entire body. Juvenile - Blue back with orange to yellow belly. Size: To 31 cm.
Habitat: Prefers surf zones and regions of strong current where there are lava boulders among which they can hide. As adults they are solitary or occur in pairs; nowhere found in great numbers, and rare on the western side of the Archipelago. Known from Floreana, North Plazas, and San Cristobal.
Domain
Eukaryota
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Teleostei
Order
Ovalentaria incertae sedis
Family
Pomacentridae
Genus
Microspathodon
Species
bairdii
Taxon category: Accepted
Syn.: Pomacentrus bairdii Gill, 1862, fide Appeltans et al. (2010)
Origin: Native
Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.
Distribution: Eastern Pacific, from California to Ecuador including Galapagos; also Cocos and Revillagigedos, All the offshore islands except Clipperton.
- Grove, J.S. Lavenberg, R.J. (1997) The Fishes of the Galapagos Islands. Stanford University Press, Stanford California. 862 pp.
- Humann, P. Deloach, N. (2003) Reef Fish Identification - Galapagos. New World Publication, Inc. Florida USA & Libri Mundi, Quito, Ecuador, 226 pp.
- Appeltans, W. Bouchet, P., Boxshall, G.A., Fauchald, K., Gordon, D.P., Hoeksema, B.W., Poore, G.C.B., van Soest, R.W.M., Stöhr, S., Walter, T.C., Costello, M.J. (eds.) (2010) World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Available online at http://www.marinespecies.org.
- IUCN (2010) IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 26 April 2010.
- McCosker, J.E. Rosenblatt, R.H. (2010) The fishes of the Galápagos Archipelago: an update. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sc., Ser. 4, vol. 61, Suppl. II, no. 11: 167-195.
- Edgar, G.J. Fariña, J.M., Calvopiña, M., Martínez, C. & Banks, S. (2002) Comunidades submareales rocosas II: Peces y macroinvertebrados móviles. In: Danulat, E. & Edgar, G.J. (eds.) (2002): Reserva Marina de Galápagos. Línea Base de la Biodiversidad. Fundación Charles Darwin/Servicio Parque Nacional Galápagos, Santa Cruz, Galápagos, Ecuador, p. 68-97.
- Banks, S. Vera, M. & Chiriboga, A. (2009) Establishing Reference Points to Assess Long-Term Change in Zooxanthellate Coral Communities of the Northern Galapagos Coral Reefs. J. Sci. Conserv. in the Galapagos Islands, p. 43-64.
- Constant, P. (2007) Marine Life of the Galapagos. The Diver's guide to Fishes, Whales, Dolphins and marine Invertebrates, 307 pp.
You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.
This page should be cited as follows:
"Galapagos Species Database, Microspathodon bairdii", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=7716. Accessed 16 July 2025.