Species: Chromis scotti, Purple Reeffish, Purple Chromis

Chromis scotti Emery, 1968

Purple Reeffish, Purple Chromis

Body compressed, oval; 1 pair of nostrils; edge of bone under eye smooth, no notch, hidden by scales; preopercle smooth or with occasional fine serrations; mouth small, protrusible, opens at front; teeth in 2 rows, outer conical, larger; a single continuous dorsal fin XIII, 11-12; anal fin II, 11-12; pectoral 17-19; 2-3 short projecting spines at upper and lower base of tail fin; caudal fin deeply forked, with rounded tips; scales large and rough; body scaled, most of head scaled, basal parts of the median fins scaled; lateral line incomplete, ends under end of dorsal fin base; lateral line scales 15-18.

Adult variable: Uniform dark grey-brown to upper ½ of head and body grey-brown, white below; blue spotting on head and varying amounts on body upper front of body to entire body and tail base; fins dark to pale grey, median fins may have yellow cast. Juvenile: body and fins purplish blue to dark blue.

Reaches 10 cm.

Steep outer reef slopes and deep patch reefs.

Depth range: 2-172 m.

N Carolina to Brazil.