Hypsypops rubicundus
Garibaldi
(Also: Garibaldi damselfish)

Hypsypops rubicundus (common name: garibaldi) are primarily found off the coast of California. They have a home range from Monterey Bay down to the Baja California peninsula, and around the Channel Islands (Eschmeyer et al., 1983). (Eschmeyer, et al., 1983)

Unlike most other members of the damselfish family (Pomacentridae), H. rubicundus lives in cooler temperate waters as opposed to tropical reefs. Their habitats range from the shallow subtidal regions down to depths of approximately 100 feet. H. rubicundus occupies shallow rocky reefs near where the intertidal and subtidal zones meet. Here they swim in and around the kelp forests that are prevalent in this habitat. These kelp forests are a critical habitat element as they provide potential protection from predators, are a source of food for H. rubicundus, and are important for reproductive success (Allen and Robertson, 1994; Nelson, 1994). (Allen and Robertson, 1994)

H. rubicundus is one of the brightest colored fishes off the southern California coast. Adults are bright orange and the fish gets its common name, garibaldi, from the 19th century Italian leader by the same name whose famous army wore flashy red/orange colors into battle. Juvenile H. rubicundus are distinctivly colored with iridescent blue colored spots along their pectoral and tail fins as well as their lateral lines. This coloration gradually fades as the young reach full maturity at around six inches (Allen, 1991; Sikkel, 1989; Neal, 1993).

Adults grow to a size of approximately 12-14 inches (28-34 cm). H. rubicundus is the largest member of the Pomacentridae (Allen and Robertson, 1994). (Allen and Robertson, 1994; Allen, 1991; Neal, 1993; Sikkel, 1989)

H. rubicundus spawn from mid-March through July. Like other members of the Pomacentridae, it is the male’s responsibility to build and tend the nest. Unlike other members of the family however, the male H. rubicundus spends an inordinate amount of time and energy (approximately an entire month) cleaning and preparing an inviting algal mat more than an inch thick and as large as a tire in circumference. These algal mats are critical to breeding success as research has shown that females prefer to mate with those males which have done the best job of “farming” their mats.

Once a male is successful in attracting a female, he deposits his spermatozoa over her huge clutch of eggs (15,000-80,000). By depositing his sperm over such a large clutch of eggs, the male is able to somewhat conserve his energy expenditures when producing these sperm and is thus able to expend that energy in attracting females and protecting his offspring (Nelson, 1994; Sikkel, 1989). (Sikkel, 1989)

The male tends the nest and aggressively protects the offspring from predation.

Individuals live to upwards of 15 years in their natural environment. This lifespan is much reduced in a captive aquarium environment (Allen, 1991).

One of the most interesting behaviors of H. rubicundus is its premating behavior. Once the male has created an inviting nest it must next attract a female with which to breed. The male will swim loops in and around its nest in a behavior called “dipping” in order to attract the female. This dipping behavior is often accompanied by a loud “thumping” noise. This noise is a function of the H. rubicundus grinding its pharyngeal teeth. These activities serve to both attract the female as well as highlight the male’s potential defensive prowess. The male’s energy expenditure also serves to ensure the female that he will expend a comparable amount of energy protecting the young brood.

There have been instances where divers have been bitten by male H. rubicundus aggressively defending their algal mats. No potential predator is too large when it comes to this fish's willingness to protect its eggs (Allen and Robertson, 1994; Sikkel, 1989).

H. rubicundus feeds primarily on small sessile sponges, bryozoans, and plankton that are found in and around the kelp forests that serve as its home (Allen, 1991; Eschmeyer et al., 1983). (Allen, 1991; Eschmeyer, et al., 1983)

There has never been any significant sport fishing for H. rubicundus. However, recently there has been increasing pressure on the population from the commercial salt water aquarium trade.

Largely in response to these pressures, in 1995 H. rubicundus was adopted as the official marine fish of California. California law now protects the fish and prohibits taking for either sport or commercial purposes (Allen, 1991, Geobop, 2002).