Peeper Cardinalfish, Neamia articycla (Fraser & Allen, 2006)

Scientific name: Neamia articycla
Peeper Cardinalfish, <i>Neamia articycla</i> Click to enlarge image
A Peeper Cardinalfish caught at a depth of 25m, between Lizard Island and the outer barrier reef, Queensland, Jan 2001. (AMS I.40666-012 Paratype). Image: Brooke Carson-Ewart
© Australian Museum

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Neamia
    Species
    articycla
    Family
    Apogonidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The longest specimen known is 35.5 mm standard length.

Introduction

The Peeper Cardinalfish lives at depths between 10 m and 40 m, in association with the calcareous alga Halimeda, or calcareous rubble. Australian Museum specimens were used in its scientific descripton.

Identification

The Peeper Cardinalfish has seven visible dorsal fin spines and an eighth hidden by skin. In life the species is reddish to brownish. There is a circular spot on the operculum enclosed within a pale area.

Habitat

The species lives at depths between 10 m and 40 m, in association with the calcareous alga Halimeda, or calcareous rubble. It has also been collected in association with the pocilloporid coral Seriatopora hystrix.

Distribution

The Peeper Cardinalfish occurs in tropical marine waters of the Western Pacific, from Sumatra to Fiji and the Philippines south to eastern Australia.

In Australia it is known from the northern Great Barrier Reef lagoon between Lizard Island and the outer Barrier Reef.

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. Fraser, T.H. & G.R. Allen, 2006. A new species of Neamia (Perciformes: Apogonidae) from the West Pacific Ocean. Memoirs of the Museum Victoria.