Shortsnout Chromis (Azurina brevirostris)

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 brevirostris · Authority: (Pyle, Earle & Greene, 2008) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 1592576.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Chromis brevirostris Pyle, Earle & Greene, 2008.

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1592576 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

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

Maximum length: 6.849999904632568 cm · Depth range: 42–120 m · Habitat zone: reef-associated · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.

FishBase notes: Adults are generally abundant in their usual environment, steep slopes and drop-offs at depths of about 90-120 m; usually with small holes and limestone talus, often in aggregations ranging from 6 to several dozen individuals seen feeding low in the water column (Ref. 59379). 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). Minimum range from Ref. 82433, where this species was found together with Chromis unipa .

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 63553) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Azurina-brevirostris.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

The fish is around 6 cm long, 1.5 cm deep and are pale lavender-tinged grey in colour. Like other species of the genus Chromis, C. brevirostris has bright, colourful scales, as well as bright and colourful tail, dorsal, anal, and ventral fins. Adults of this species are pale lavender and grey in colour on the dorsal side, blue to white on the thorax, blue to grey on the ventral side. They also have golden scales and golden tails and fins.

On the outer edges, the scales are golden yellow, but then gradually change to blue and gray as moved from outer to inner edges. Along with colour, the Chromis brevirostris can be distinguished from other Chromis species by its smooth and convex-shaped head, and the number of soft ray fins.

Chromis brevirostris typically have 15–16 anal, 13–14 dorsal, 18–19 pectoral, and 2–3 spiniform caudal soft ray fins. Furthermore, they also have 14–16 lateral-line scales and 26–29 gill rakers. Their irises are golden in colour.

Location

Found in the mesophotic zone of the western Pacific Ocean typically at drop-offs, steep slopes and corals, Chromis brevirostris grow in communities of large abundance at depths of 90–120 metres. This depth is the lowest that they can thrive in. Although Chromis brevirostris was first observed at a depth of 100–103 metres deep around the Caroline Islands, dispersal has since resulted in a change in species distribution to depths as high as 60 metres and across the Pacific Ocean near Bali, Melanesia, and Micronesia in swarms of approximately one dozen individual Shortsnout Chromis.

Diet and foraging

The shortsnout chromis are deep water specialists. This means that because of high biodiversity in their habitat, this species is able to forage on a specific diet. The shortsnout chromis feed almost exclusively, if not entirely, on zooplankton that can be found floating in water columns.

Etymology

The name of this species was derived from the Latin words (meaning "short") and (meaning "beak" or "snout"). This is in reference to the very short snout of this species relative to other species in the genus Chromis.

Source: Wikipedia: Chromis brevirostris — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chromis_brevirostris (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.