Cardinal Fish

Juveniles with black stripes and thin white lines. Adults loose black stripes, but have a pupil-sized black peduncular spot and upper white line remains obvious (Ref. 48635).Description: Characterized by purplish brown body color; pair of silver-white stripes from snout through eye; top of head with narrow white stripe; white stripe along upper back to dorsal edge of caudal peduncle; greatest depth of body 2.7-3.0 in SL (Ref. 90102).

Mouthbrooders (Ref. 240). Distinct pairing during courtship and spawning (Ref. 205).

Dorsal spines (total): 7 - 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Analspines: 2; Analsoft rays: 8

Benthic and nocturnal species (Ref. 75154) which occurs inshore (Ref. 7300, 75154). Found in small groups among debris or corals of sheltered reef flats and shallow lagoons (Ref. 1602); also among massing long-spined urchins (Ref. 48635).

fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial; price category: high; price reliability: very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family