[Coral-List] Regal Demoiselle (Neopomacentrus cyanomos) Sighted at Stetson Bank, in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

[Michelle Johnston - NOAA Federal]

Greetings Coral List,

I am writing to report the first sighting of *Neopomacentrus cyanomos*
(Bleeker, 1856), the Regal Demoiselle, within Flower Garden Banks National
Marine Sanctuary (FGBNMS) in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. Within
FGBNMS, sightings occurred at Stetson Bank (located 113 km south of
Galveston, Texas, USA) on June 27, 28, and 29, 2018 at multiple locations
on the bank. Locations and coordinates are listed below:

Stetson Bank Datasonde (28° 09.935 N, -94° 17.794 W), Depth 24 meters

Stetson Bank Mooring #2 (28° 09.981 N, -94° 17.834 W), Depth 23.8 meters

Stetson Bank Mooring #5 (28° 09.917 N, -94° 17.770 W), Depth 24 meters

Schools of *N. cyanomos* (5-10 cm TL), each containing dozens to hundreds
of small fish, were observed over many of the pinnacles on the bank and
schooling in the upright portions of sponges with other reef fish,
including *Chromis multilineata*. *C.* *multilineata *are native to the
sanctuary and commonly found in large numbers.

None were observed at East Flower Garden Bank or West Flower Garden Bank,
which are also part of the marine sanctuary and located further
offshore (approximately
55 km south-east of Stetson Bank).

Pictures of the recent sightings at Stetson Bank are posted to the FGBNMS
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FGBNMS/

Additional information will soon be collected during annual long-term
monitoring cruises in July and August. Please feel free to contact FGBNMS
should you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Michelle Johnston

*Michelle A. Johnston, Ph.D.Research Biologist*



*Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary4700 Avenue U, Bldg.
216Galveston, TX  77551*

*Tel: (409) 356-0392*

*http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov
<http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov>http://flowergarden.noaa.gov
<http://flowergarden.noaa.gov>*

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