Blue chromis (Azurina cyanea)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Ovalentaria incertae sedis · Family: Pomacentridae · Genus: Azurina.

Accepted name: Azurina cyanea · Authority: (Poey, 1860) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 1565681.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Chromis cyanea (Poey, 1860); Chromis cyaneus (Poey, 1860); Furcaria cyanea Poey, 1860; Heliastes cyaneus (Poey, 1860).

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1565681 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

Measured values published by FishBase for Azurina cyanea. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Maximum length: 15 cm · Depth range: 3–60 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: fusiform / normal · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: commercial.

FishBase notes: Adults are common above deep outer reefs and feeds in aggregations of the small zooplankton, primarily copepods (Ref. 13442). Often with creole wrasse. They retreat into coral crevices when frightened (Ref. 9710).

Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205). Eggs are demersal and adhere to the substrate (Ref. 205). Males guard and aerate the eggs (Ref. 205).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 3642) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Azurina-cyanea.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)

1,614 georeferenced occurrence records for Azurina cyanea are published through GBIF from 35 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 137 distinct locations from a sample of 1,614 records, omitting 21 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.

Most records by country or area: Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba (243); Mexico (191); United States of America (165); Honduras (162); Bahamas (145).

The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.

Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 12157075) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=12157075&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1565681 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

It is collected for the aquarium trade.

Being a shallow water fish, the blue chromis is commonly found at depths of 3 to 5 m, but it can reach depths of 25 m.

It has also been recorded at a depth of 60 m.

It lives on the surface of reefs, but often swims in the water columns above the reefs to feed on plankton.

It's a rather solitary species, seen alone or in small groups, and tends to stay close to the reefs.

The younger fish stay near the bottom in order to avoid predators.

The males maintain a solitary breeding territory. After breeding with multiple females, they guard the eggs until the planktonic larvae hatch.

The blue chromis is largely collected for use in aquariums.

There are no reliable numbers on the extent of this collecting, but damselfish make up the most intensely collected fish group, making up almost half of the aquarium trade.

Besides the intense aquarium trade, the rapid expansion of lionfish in the Caribbean and the Atlantic coast, is the greatest threat to the blue chromis, as well as several other tropical fish native to the Caribbean.

Furthermore, the loss of live corals could have a definite impact on the species, though this has yet to be investigated more closely.

The blue chromis is assessed as "Least Concern" by the IUCN.

Despite appearing only within an area of 2,500,000 km2, it is considered abundant within that area, without any known continuous decline in range or population numbers.

Source: Wikipedia: Azurina cyanea — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azurina_cyanea (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.