Teleostei (teleosts) >
Kurtiformes (Nurseryfishes, cardinalfishes.) >
Apogonidae (Cardinalfishes) > Apogoninae
Etymology: Apogon: Greek, a = without + Greek pogon = chin, beard (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Poey.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 128 m (Ref. 26938). Tropical; 46°N - 7°N, 98°W - 59°W
Western Atlantic: Canada (Ref. 5951) to Massachusetts (USA), Bermuda, Bahamas, and Gulf of Mexico (Ref. 26340) to Brazil.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 11.1 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9626)
Red to dusky red with a round black spot beneath rear of second dorsal fin and a broad blackish saddle-like bar on caudal peduncle.
Commonly found along sea walls and pilings, in harbors, and coral reefs. A nocturnal species, it remains hidden in cracks and crevices during the day (Ref. 9626). Reaches depths of more than 100 m (Ref. 9626). Males with eggs have been spotted in Bahamas in June and July (Ref. 26938). Most common cardinalfish in the aquarium trade.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Mouthbrooders (Ref. 240). Spawning may occur throughout the year (Ref. 39366). Distinct pairing during courtship and spawning (Ref. 205).
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p. (Ref. 7251)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 22.9 - 28, mean 26 °C (based on 414 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01047 (0.00559 - 0.01961), b=3.08 (2.92 - 3.24), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.5 ±0.4 se; based on diet studies.
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).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 121 [76, 223] mg/100g; Iron = 1.1 [0.7, 1.8] mg/100g; Protein = 18.8 [17.6, 19.8] %; Omega3 = 0.185 [0.108, 0.308] g/100g; Selenium = 38.1 [20.4, 70.8] μg/100g; VitaminA = 132 [51, 349] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.74 [1.18, 2.40] mg/100g (wet weight);