Sergeant Major

Photo: Charlie Mellor · CC BY-NC

Sergeant majors form the most conspicuous fish aggregations at Coki Beach, with dense schools hovering above every coral structure from the surface down to 12 metres. Males turn a deep blue-purple when guarding egg masses on flat rock surfaces, aggressively chasing away fish many times their size. Their abundance at Coki reflects the healthy planktonic productivity inshore of St. Thomas harbor and the absence of intensive spearfishing pressure in this protected bay.