Girdled Cardinalfish, Archamia zosterophora (Bleeker, 1856)

Scientific name: Archamia zosterophora
Alternative name/s:
Girdled Cardinal
Girdled Cardinalfish Click to enlarge image
Girdled Cardinalfish at a depth of 15m, Davies Reef, Great Barrier Reef off Townsville, November 1999. Image: Erik Schlögl
© Erik Schlögl

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Archamia
    Species
    zosterophora
    Family
    Apogonidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to 8 cm in length.

Introduction

The Girdled Cardinalfish is semi-transparent with a pinkish to greyish base colour. There is a small black spot on the caudal peduncle.

Identification

The Girdled Cardinalfish is semi-transparent with a pinkish to greyish base colour. It has two thin orange lines on the head and a broad black bar below the second dorsal fin. There is a small black spot on the caudal peduncle.

Habitat

The species is found on coral reefs.

Distribution

It is known from the Western Pacific. In Australia it is recorded from off north-western Western Australia and from the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
  2. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  3. Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 330.
  4. Paxton, J.R., D.F. Hoese, G.R. Allen & J.E. Hanley. 1989. Zoological Catalogue of Australia Vol.7 Pisces Petromyzontidae to Carangidae. Canberra: Australian Biological Resources Survey. Pp. i-xii, 1-665.
  5. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.