Tiger Cardinalfish Click to enlarge image
A Tiger Cardinalfish at a depth of 13m, North Solitary Island, New South Wales, May 2002. Image: Ian Shaw
© Ian Shaw

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Cheilodipterus
    Species
    macrodon
    Family
    Apogonidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    It grows to 22 cm in length.

Introduction

The Tiger Cardinalfish can be distinguished from other species of Cheilodipterus by its colouration and large teeth. The species occurs throughout the Indo-West Pacific.

Identification

The Tiger Cardinalfish can be distinguished from other species of Cheilodipterus by its striped body, large teeth and lack of yellow colouration on the caudal peduncle.

Distribution

The Tiger Cardinalfish occurs in tropical and some warm temperate marine waters throughout the Indo-West Pacific. In Australia it is know from the central coast of Western Australia, around the tropical north, and south to the central New South Wales coast.

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. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
  3. Kuiter, R.H. & T. Kozawa. 1999. Fishes of the Indo-West Pacific. Apogonidae. CD Version 1.0 Zoonetics.
  4. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  5. 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.
  6. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.