Garibaldi (fish)
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(Girard, 1854)
- This is an article about the fish. For other uses see the disambiguation page.
The Garibaldi or Garibaldi damselfish (Hypsypops rubicundus) is a brightly colored fish of the damselfish family that is native to the north-eastern subtropical parts of the Pacific Ocean, ranging from Monterey Bay, California, to Guadalupe Island, Baja California.
[edit] Protection
This is the official marine state fish of California and is protected in California coastal waters. It is frequently seen off Santa Catalina Island, California and in La Jolla Cove, where it is locally very common. It is also the mascot of the Georgia Aquarium.
[edit] Adult fish
The adult fish is a rich orange in color. The common name refers to the Italian revolutionary Giuseppe Garibaldi, who famously wore a bright red shirt, as did many of his followers.
[edit] Characteristics
Garibaldis grow up to 30 cm (12 in) in length. Juvenile Garibaldi are not as bright in color, but have iridescent blue spots which they lose as they become adult. They live from very shallow water to depths of up to 30 meters (100 ft), usually in association with reefs, and typically over rocky sea-bottoms. They feed mainly on invertebrates that they remove from the rocks.
[edit] Territory
Adult Garibaldis maintain a home territory. The male clears a sheltered nest site within his territory, and the female then deposits eggs within the nest. The male subsequently guards the nest until the eggs hatch after 19–21 days. During this time period, the male garibaldi aggressively tries to keep all other fish away from the very edible eggs. Like all male damsel fish, the male Garibaldi will boldly attack much larger swimming creatures, including humans, to the point of biting divers in order to try to drive them away from the area where the eggs are deposited.
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