Amblyglyphidodon aureus
A common reef sighting across Visayas and Sulawesi, this golden-yellow damselfish hovers over coral in warm 26-29C water year-round.
Small, deep-bodied damselfish washed almost entirely in golden yellow, sometimes with faint pale blue lines across the upper body and face. Grows to around 9 cm, so it reads underwater as a small, oval, bright fish hanging just off the reef rather than darting into a hole like many damsels. No strong dark bars or eye spots to confuse the ID, which actually makes the plain gold colouring itself the giveaway.
Usually seen hovering in loose groups just above branching coral or in current-swept spots on the reef, picking plankton out of the water column rather than feeding on the substrate. It holds a fairly open position rather than hiding, and mostly ignores divers, drifting a short distance away if approached too closely before settling back near the same coral head.
Like other damselfish, males guard a patch of reef where eggs are laid on the substrate and will fan and defend the clutch until it hatches, a behaviour worth watching for if you spot one lingering unusually close to one coral branch.
No clear seasonal pattern in the sightings data, and with a comfortable temperature range of 26.1 to 29.0C it stays on the reef year-round across its Indo-Pacific range. Plan around your destination's general dive season rather than any specific month for this species.
Reef neighbours a diver could mistake it for. Use the identification notes above to tell them apart.
Most reliably logged across Indonesia and the Philippines, with the Visayas region of the Philippines standing out as a particular stronghold, alongside strong numbers in Sulawesi, Raja Ampat and Bali. It also turns up consistently on Malaysia's east coast and around Sabah, plus sites in Thailand's Koh Lipe, Fiji and Palau.
Mapping where Golden Damselfish is logged…
They're most commonly logged across Indonesia and the Philippines, especially in the Visayas, Sulawesi, Raja Ampat and Bali. Malaysia's east coast, Sabah and Thailand's Koh Lipe also produce regular sightings.
There's no strong seasonal pattern in sightings, and the species tolerates a wide warm-water range of 26.1 to 29.0C, so it's seen on reefs throughout the year. Time your trip around general conditions at the destination rather than a damselfish season.
Look for a small, oval-bodied fish washed almost entirely in golden yellow, sometimes with faint pale blue lines near the head. At around 9 cm it hovers just above the reef in loose groups rather than darting for cover.
They typically reach about 9 cm, a small, compact reef fish easily sized up against a coral branch or your own hand for scale.
No, they pose no threat to divers and simply drift off a short distance if you get too close before settling back onto the same patch of reef.
Site and sighting data is aggregated from diver logs, iNaturalist and GBIF. For taxonomy and conservation status:
Yellowtail Clownfish
3,523 sites
