Ring-tail Cardinalfish, Ostorhinchus aureus (Lacepède, 1802)

Scientific name: Ostorhinchus aureus
  • Updated
    20/04/21
  • Read time
    2 minutes
Ring-tail Cardinalfish, <i>Ostorhinchus aureus</i> Click to enlarge image
A Ring-tail Cardinalfish, Ostorhinchus aureus, at a depth of 15m, "Monique's Unique Bommie", Great Detached Reef, Queensland, November 2001. Image: Erik Schlögl
© Erik Schlögl

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Ostorhinchus
    Species
    aureus
    Family
    Apogonidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    12 cm

Introduction

As its standard name would suggest, the Ring-tail Cardinalfish has a distinct black band around the caudal peduncle.

Identification

Adult Ring-tail Cardinalfish are grey-orange above and yellow to golden below. They have iridescent blue lines from the snout through the eyes, and a distinct black band around the caudal peduncle.

Habitat

The species is most commonly found in rocky and coral reefs.

Distribution

Occurs throughout the Indo-West Pacific.

In Australia it is recorded from south-western Western Australia, around the tropical north and south to the central coastline of New South Wales.

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. Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
  3. Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-Eastern Australia. Crawford House Press. Pp. 437.
  4. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
  5. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R & R.C. Steene. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 507.