Chromis scotochiloptera
Small reef damselfish logged across Raja Ampat and Nusa Tenggara, thriving in warm 28-29C water year-round.
A small, slender damselfish reaching about 11 cm, usually seen hovering just above the reef in loose groups. Look for a compact, oval body shape typical of chromis, with subtler colouring than many reef damselfish, best confirmed by location and size rather than a single bold marking. Its size and shape are the main underwater cues since it lacks the flashy stripes or bars that make some damselfish easy to call at a glance.
Typically spotted hovering in small loose groups just off the reef structure, picking at drifting plankton in the water column rather than sticking tight to a single coral head. It shows the usual damselfish caution around divers, holding its distance but not bolting for cover, and tends to stay at a fairly consistent spot on the reef across dives. Most sightings come from open reef slopes rather than caves or overhangs.
Like other chromis, it likely spawns by laying eggs on a cleared patch of reef substrate that one parent guards until hatching, a common damselfish reproductive strategy that keeps them tied to a home patch of reef.
No clear seasonal pattern shows up in sighting data, and its comfort range of 28.3 to 29.2 C matches these reefs year-round, so any month works for a dive trip targeting it.
Reef neighbours a diver could mistake it for. Use the identification notes above to tell them apart.
Most reliably logged in Indonesia, especially across Nusa Tenggara and Raja Ampat, with smaller numbers of sightings in Sulawesi and Bali. It also turns up in Timor-Leste around Dili, making it a fairly consistent find on Coral Triangle reefs rather than a one-site specialty.
Mapping where Philippines Chromis is logged…
Indonesia is the stronghold, particularly Nusa Tenggara and Raja Ampat, with additional sightings in Sulawesi and Bali. It has also been logged around Dili in Timor-Leste, making the wider Coral Triangle the best region to look.
There is no strong seasonal signal in the data, and water temperatures on its home reefs sit in a steady 28.3 to 29.2 C range year-round, so it can be seen on any month's dive trip.
Look for a small, slim damselfish around 11 cm hovering in loose groups just off the reef, with understated colouring rather than bold bars or stripes. Confirming ID often relies as much on location within the Coral Triangle as on markings alone.
They reach roughly 11 cm, putting them firmly in the small-damselfish category typical of the chromis genus.
Site and sighting data is aggregated from diver logs, iNaturalist and GBIF. For taxonomy and conservation status:
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