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Beaugregory

Stegastes leucostictus

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Original identification illustration of Beaugregory (Stegastes leucostictus), adult, viewed from the side.
Illustration for identification. Features may vary.

Fun facts for your next surface interval

  • No oversized luggage: its small dorsal eyespot stays on the fin rather than spilling onto the back.
  • Tiny landlord energy: beaugregories defend the places where they feed and breed.
  • One outfit is not mandatory: adults range from gray-brown to strongly yellow below.

Florida and local context

Lake Worth Lagoon, Palm Beach County, Florida: Florida Museum marks Stegastes leucostictus as verified with multiple observer initials.

Documented regional presence is not a guarantee of an encounter or a measure of how common this animal is at your dive site.

How to recognize this animal

Beaugregory is a plump little damselfish with a bluntly pointed snout, a shallowly forked tail and relatively short dorsal and anal fins. Adults vary from gray-brown to dark above and bright yellow below, usually with fine blue spots. When present, the small dark eyespot near the last dorsal spines is confined to the fin. It does not extend down onto the back.

Size and life stages

Published accounts describe adults commonly around 6–10 cm, with a maximum near 12 cm. Young fish may look especially blue and yellow, so a brilliant individual is not automatically a large adult. Use the body outline and the position of the eyespot together. A tiny fish viewed at arm's length can appear much larger than it really is.

Habitat and where to look

Shallow backreef habitat is a good setting for this species. It also uses areas with rubble, sand and seagrass near shelter. Search for small patches of structure rather than only the tallest coral heads. Stay above any seagrass and inspect from a neutral hover, because the bottom that looks empty to a diver may contain feeding or nesting sites.

Range and local context

The western Atlantic distribution includes South Florida, the Bahamas, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. Florida Museum verifies Beaugregory in Lake Worth Lagoon, providing direct Palm Beach County evidence. That record does not establish how many live at one site or how often a visitor should see them. Treat each encounter as an observation, not a guaranteed item on a checklist.

What is on the menu?

Beaugregory eats algae and small invertebrates, including worms and little crustaceans. Its feeding area matters enough to defend. Repeated pecks at a surface can be a useful behavior clue, but the food itself may be too small to identify underwater. Avoid turning that uncertainty into a claim that it was eating a particular coral or another conspicuous neighboring organism.

Daily habits and behavior

A small body does not prevent a determined boundary dispute. Beaugregories defend territories and may chase other fishes away from resources. Following one fish from a comfortable distance can reveal the area it repeatedly returns to. If it directs persistent defensive attention toward your camera, back away rather than rewarding the interaction with another close pass.

Mating and the next generation

Males court females and defend nesting sites where eggs are attached to a surface. Nest care is part of their territorial behavior. A fish hovering repeatedly over one patch may therefore be doing more than resting, but a diver should not disturb the patch to find out. Record the behavior and leave any possible eggs and nearby shelter undisturbed.

Look-alikes and identification traps

Cocoa Damselfish is an important comparison. A young cocoa's large dorsal eyespot extends onto its upper body, while a beaugregory's smaller spot stays on the fin. Cocoa also has longer rear dorsal and anal lobes. Color can overlap, especially in young fish, so try to capture the back and the entire tail region in the same photograph.

Observe without disturbing

Approach slowly and stop before the animal starts a repeated defensive circuit. Do not touch its feeding patch, place equipment on nearby rubble or lure it with food. Let any chase end naturally without joining in. When the diagnostic spot is hidden by a folded fin, an uncertain identification is better than provoking the fish into displaying for the camera.

Harvest, protection and eating safety

Restricted marine life: live collection only; no spearing

Can it be hunted or harvested?

Beaugregory is regulated live ornamental marine life, not an ordinary food-fishing target. FWC lists no species-specific size limit for this damselfish. A saltwater fishing license is required unless exempt. Fish must be landed and kept alive with adequate aeration or circulating water. Daily limit: five of this species within 20 marine-life organisms; possession: ten within 40. Recreational sale is prohibited.

Florida seasons and areas

No recreational closed months are listed for this species in the reviewed marine-life rules. Collection is prohibited within the designated Blue Heron Bridge dive site. Florida marine-life rules also apply in adjacent federal waters. Sanctuary no-take zones and other park or refuge restrictions can close otherwise eligible areas; check the exact site before collecting.

Can it be speared?

Prohibited. FWC expressly includes damselfishes among ornamental reef-fish families that cannot be taken by spearing. Chromis and reeffishes are damselfishes too.

Is it safe to eat?

This live-collection classification is not an eating-safety approval. No species-specific Florida consumption clearance was verified. Do not assume a fish is safe because it is small, colorful or absent from an advisory chart. Marine toxins can cause illness despite cooking; consult current local health guidance rather than using this identification page as permission to eat it.

Before you act: This recreational overview is not permission to collect or spear at your dive site. Confirm the species, date, management area, state or federal waters, gear, licenses and current local closures. Identification artwork cannot establish an identification or guarantee seafood safety.

Official rules and health guidance

Reviewed 2026-11-10. Rules and advisories can change; check the linked authorities before harvesting or eating.

Sources and review

Reviewed 2026-11-10.

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