Flores Cardinalfish

Olive brown with irregular dark spots and streaks; speckled fins; normally with a dark line from eye to origin of LL and stripe from eye to angle of preopercle (Ref. 4329, 48635). Developed gill rakers 5-7. A distinctive small white spot centrally at base of caudal fin (Ref. 48635).Description: Characterized by small eighth spine usually covered by skin; greatest depth of body 2.4-2.6 in SL (Ref. 90102).

Displays obligate monogamy where a one-to-one pair is established irrespective of resource abundance (Ref. 52884).

Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Analspines: 2; Analsoft rays: 8

Occurs inshore (Ref. 7300). Found among rubble of reef flats and 'dead' reefs (Ref. 1602, 58302). Benthic and benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Secretive (Ref. 48635). Nocturnal species (Ref. 7300).

Adults occur inshore (Ref. 7300). Found among rubble of reef flats and 'dead' reefs (Ref. 1602, 58302). Benthic and benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Secretive (Ref. 48635), nocturnal species (Ref. 7300). Eggs are incubated orally (Ref. 205). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 57178.

分布於印度-太平洋區，西起紅海，東至夏威夷群島，北至台灣、日本，南迄拉帕等。台灣分布於南部。

無任何經濟價值。

體長圓而側扁。頭大。眼大。前鰓蓋骨骨化不完全，外緣平滑，上主上頜骨變形。側線完全，且延長到尾鰭，後部側線鱗細長；體被大櫛鱗23-25。無鋤骨齒。尾鰭圓。D. VIII-I，9；A. II，8；P. 13-14；Ll. 23-25；GR. 1-2+1+5-8。本種屬小型天竺鯛種類，較大體型只有4cm(TL)。與眼斑原天竺鯛類似，唯本種第一背鰭後部沒有大圓斑。第一背鰭VIII棘退化，且被鱗片蓋住。原記載之夏威夷原天竺鯛(/Apogonichthys waikiki/)為其同種異名。

主要棲息於近岸之珊瑚礁區。以浮游動物或其它底棲無脊椎動物為食。

Nocturnal species. Occurs inshore (Ref. 7300). Found among rubble of reef flats and 'dead' reefs (Ref. 1602) . Size 3.75 cm .