Teleostei (teleosts) >
Kurtiformes (Nurseryfishes, cardinalfishes.) >
Apogonidae (Cardinalfishes) > Apogoninae
Etymology: Siphamia: A Swazi word, siphama, for a fish.
More on author: Whitley.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; benthopelagic; depth range 1 - 28 m (Ref. 90035). Temperate
Indo-West Pacific: Australia.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 3.9 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 90035)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 8. This species is distinguished by the following characters: D VI+I,8; A II,8; pectoral rays 11-13, unbranched and compressed distally; tubed lateral-line and median predorsal scales unknown (most scales missing on all specimens); total gill rakers 2-4 + 9-11 = 11-14; developed gill rakers 0 + 6-9; gill rakers on ceratobranchial 6-7; body relatively slender, its depth 3.7-4.1 in SL, its body width 1.6-2.0 in the depth; eye diameter 3.7-4.2 in HL; first dorsal spine 1.2-1.3 in second spine; second dorsal spine 2.8-2.9, spine of second dorsal fin 5.0-5.5, and second anal spine 5.1-6.7, all in head length; pectoral-fin length 5.4-6.1 and pelvic-fin length 5.2-6.4 in SL; caudal-peduncle length 1.1-1.5 in distance between pelvic spine insertion and anal-fin origin; preopercular edge and ridge smooth, the ventral edge weakly ossified and usually slightly crenulate; palatines with 2-3 series of small teeth; scales ctenoid, large, thin and deciduous; tubed lateral-line scales with vertical series of papillae; tip of light organ on each side of tongue bound by membrane (Ref. 90035).
Occurs inshore over soft bottom (Ref. 7300). A 2.84 cm SL mouthbrooding male had about 30 eggs, 0.8 mm in diameter, in its mouth (Ref. 90035).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Distinct pairing during courtship and spawning (Ref. 205).
Paxton, J.R., D.F. Hoese, G.R. Allen and J.E. Hanley, 1989. Pisces. Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Zoological Catalogue of Australia, Vol. 7. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, 665 p. (Ref. 7300)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 21.3 - 28.9, mean 26.7 °C (based on 817 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01445 (0.00680 - 0.03071), b=3.07 (2.89 - 3.25), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).