Cardinalfishes are a family, Apogonidae, of

ray-finned fish Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fish or actinopterygians, is a class of bony fish that comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. They are so called because of their lightly built fins made of webbings of sk ...

es found in the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Associated with India * of or related to India ** Indian people ** Indian diaspora ** Languages of India ** Indian English, a dialect of the English language ** Indian cuisine Associated with indigenous peoples o ...

, and

Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is bounded by the cont ...

Oceans; they are chiefly marine, but some

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

are found in

brackish water Brackish water, sometimes termed brack water, is water occurring in a natural environment that has more salinity than freshwater, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing seawater (salt water) and fresh water together, as in estuary ...

and a few (notably ''

Glossamia ''Glossamia'' is a genus of freshwater fish in the family Apogonidae. The majority of the species are endemic to New Guinea, but ''G. aprion'' is also found in Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country ...

'') are found in fresh water. A handful of species are kept in

aquarium An aquarium (: aquariums or aquaria) is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. fishkeeping, Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aquati ...

s and are popular as small, peaceful, and colourful fish. The family includes about 370 species. They are generally small fish, with most species being less than , and are often brightly coloured. They are distinguished by their large mouths, and the division of the

dorsal fin A dorsal fin is a fin on the back of most marine and freshwater vertebrates. Dorsal fins have evolved independently several times through convergent evolution adapting to marine environments, so the fins are not all homologous. They are found ...

into two separate fins. Most species live in

tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

subtropical The subtropical zones or subtropics are geographical zone, geographical and Köppen climate classification, climate zones immediately to the Northern Hemisphere, north and Southern Hemisphere, south of the tropics. Geographically part of the Ge ...

waters, where they inhabit

coral reef A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in group ...

s and

lagoon A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into ''coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons'') an ...

s. They are

nocturnal Nocturnality is a ethology, behavior in some non-human animals characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnality, diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatur ...

, spending the day in dark crevices within the reef. At least some species

brood Brood may refer to: Nature * Brood, a collective term for offspring * Brooding, the incubation of bird eggs by their parents * Bee brood, the young of a beehive * Individual broods of North American periodical cicadas: ** Brood X, the largest br ...

their

eggs An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo begins to develop. Egg, EGG or eggs may also refer to: Biology * Egg cell, the female reproductive cell (gamete) in oogamous organisms Food * Eggs as food Places * Egg, Austria * Egg, Switzerland ...

inside the mouths of the males. Males do not feed during this incubation period. Males incubate the eggs in their mouth due to having longer heads and a larger jaw, which females do not acquire.

Classification

Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes Catalog of Fishes is a comprehensive on-line database and reference work on the scientific names of fish species and genera. It is global in its scope and is hosted by the California Academy of Sciences. It has been compiled and is continuously up ...

'' recognises four

subfamilies In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end botanical subfamily names with "-oideae", and zool ...

of the Apogonidae: * Subfamily Amioidinae Fraser & Mabuchi, 2014 ** ''

Amioides ''Amioides polyacanthus'' is a species of fish in the family Apogonidae, the cardinalfishes. It is endemic to the marine waters around the Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, ...

'' H.M. Smith & Radcliffe, 1912 ** ''

Holapogon ''Holapogon maximus'', the titan cardinalfish, is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Apogonidae, the cardinalfishes. This species is the only known member of the genus ''Holapogon''.Mabuchi, K., Fraser, T.H., Song, H., Azuma, Y. & Nishida ...

'' T. H. Fraser, 1973 * Subfamily

Apogoninae The Apogoninae are the most species-rich and, of its shape, size, color and habitat, most Biodiversity, diverse subfamily of cardinalfishes (Apogonidae). It can be found in coastal tropical and subtropical regions of the Indian Ocean, the eastern ...

Günther, 1859 ** ''

Apogon ''Apogon'' is a large genus of fish in the family ''Apogonidae'', the cardinalfishes. They are among the most common fish on coral reefs. Over 200 species have been classified in genus ''Apogon'' as members of several subgenera. Some of these sub ...

'' Lacépède, 1801 ** ''

Apogonichthyoides ''Apogonichthyoides'' is a genus of fish in the family Apogonidae, the cardinalfishes. They are native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. This genus was separated from ''Apogon'' in 2010. These species are light brown to brownish ...

J.L.B. Smith James Leonard Brierley Smith (26 September 1897 – 8 January 1968) was a South African ichthyologist, organic chemist, and university professor. He was the first to identify a taxidermied fish as a coelacanth, at the time thought to be long ext ...

, 1949 ** ''

Apogonichthys ''Apogonichthys'' is a genus of cardinalfishes native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. Species The recognized species in this genus are: * '' Apogonichthys landoni'' Herre, 1934 * '' Apogonichthys ocellatus'' ( M. C. W. Weber ...

Bleeker Bleeker is a Dutch occupational surname. Bleeker is an old spelling of ''(linnen)bleker'' ("linen bleacher").Archamia ''Archamia bleekeri'', also known as Gon's cardinalfish, is a species of fish in the family Apogonidae, the cardinalfishes. It is native to the coastal waters of the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean from Africa to Indonesia and from T ...

'' T.N. Gill, 1863 ** ''

Astrapogon ''Astrapogon'' is a genus of cardinalfishes native to the western Atlantic Ocean. Species The recognized species in this genus are:Mabuchi, K., Fraser, T.H., Song, H., Azuma, Y. & Nishida, M. (2014)Revision of the systematics of the cardinalfish ...

'' Fowler, 1907 ** ''

Cercamia ''Cercamia'' is a genus of fishes in the family Apogonidae, the cardinalfishes. They are native to the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Species The recognized species in this genus are:Mabuchi, K., Fraser, T.H., Song, H., Azuma, Y. & Nishida, M. (2014 ...

'' J. E. Randall & C. L. Smith, 1988 ** ''

Cheilodipterus ''Cheilodipterus'' is a genus of fishes in the family Apogonidae, the cardinalfishes. They are native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. Species The 17 recognized species in this genus are:Mabuchi, K., Fraser, T.H., Song, H., Azu ...

'' Lacépède, 1801 ** ''

Fibramia ''Fibramia'' is a genus of fishes in the family Apogonidae from the Indian Ocean. The first fossil record of this genus is ''Fibramia keralensis'' (only otoliths found) from the Burdigalian (Miocene) of southwestern India. Species The recognized ...

'' T. H. Fraser & Mabuchi, 2014 Mabuchi, K., Fraser, T.H., Song, H., Azuma, Y. & Nishida, M. (2014)
Revision of the systematics of the cardinalfishes (Percomorpha: Apogonidae) based on molecular analyses and comparative reevaluation of morphological characters.
''Zootaxa, 3846 (2): 151–203.'' ** '' Foa''

D. S. Jordan David Starr Jordan (January 19, 1851 – September 19, 1931) was the founding president of Stanford University, serving from 1891 to 1913. He was an ichthyologist during his research career. Prior to serving as president of Stanford Universi ...

& Evermann, 1905 ** ''

Fowleria ''Fowleria'' is a genus of fishes in the family Apogonidae native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The name of this genus honors the American ichthyologist Henry Weed Fowler ((1878–1965)) of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, wh ...

'' D. S. Jordan & Evermann, 1905 ** ''

'' T.N. Gill, 1863 ** ''

Jaydia ''Jaydia'' is a genus of fishes in the family (biology), family Apogonidae native to the western Pacific Ocean.Mabuchi, K., Fraser, T.H., Song, H., Azuma, Y. & Nishida, M. (2014)Revision of the systematics of the cardinalfishes (Percomorpha: Apog ...

'' J. L. B. Smith, 1961 ** '' Lachneratus'' T. H. Fraser & Struhsaker, 1991 ** ''

Lepidamia ''Lepidamia'' is a genus of fishes in the family Apogonidae, the cardinalfishes. Species The currently recognized species in this genus are:Mabuchi, K., Fraser, T.H., Song, H., Azuma, Y. & Nishida, M. (2014)Revision of the systematics of the car ...

'' T. N. Gill, 1863 ** ''

Neamia ''Neamia'' is a genus of cardinalfishes native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. Species The recognized species in this genus are:Mabuchi, K., Fraser, T.H., Song, H., Azuma, Y. & Nishida, M. (2014)Revision of the systematics of ...

'' H. M. Smith & Radcliffe, 1912 ** '' Nectamia'' D. S. Jordan, 1917 ** ''

Ostorhinchus ''Ostorhinchus'' is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Apogonidae native to the Indian and Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the A ...

'' Lacépède, 1802 ** '' Paroncheilus'' J. L. B. Smith, 1964 ** ''

Phaeoptyx ''Phaeoptyx'' is a genus of cardinalfishes native to the western Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of ...

'' T. H. Fraser & C. R. Robins, 1970 ** '' Pristiapogon'' Klunzinger, 1870 ** ''

Pristicon ''Pristicon'' is a genus of cardinalfishes native to the western Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the So ...

'' T. H. Fraser, 1972 ** '' Pterapogon'' Koumans, 1933 ** '' Rhabdamia'' Koumans M. C. W. Weber, 1909 ** '' Siphamia'' M. C. W. Weber, 1909 ** ''

Sphaeramia ''Sphaeramia'' is a genus of the Apogonidae (cardinalfishes). They are marine fish that live in shallow tropical reefs in the Indian and Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, ...

'' Fowler & B. A. Bean, 1930 ** ''

Taeniamia ''Taeniamia'' is a genus of cardinalfishes native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. Species The 15 recognized species in this genus are:Mabuchi, K., Fraser, T.H., Song, H., Azuma, Y. & Nishida, M. (2014)Revision of the systemati ...

'' T. H. Fraser, 2013 ** ''

Verulux ''Verulux'' is a genus of fishes in the family Apogonidae found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Species The recognized species in this genus are: * '' Verulux cypselurus'' ( M. C. W. Weber, 1909) (Swallow-tail cardinalfish) * '' Verulux solmac ...

'' T. H. Fraser, 1972 ** '' Vincentia'' Castelnau, 1872 ** ''

Xeniamia ''Xeniamia atrithorax'' is a species of cardinalfish in the family Apogonidae found in South China Sea off Khanh Hoa Province in Vietnam. This species is the only member of the genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and ...

'' T. H. Fraser &

Prokofiev Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev; alternative transliterations of his name include ''Sergey'' or ''Serge'', and ''Prokofief'', ''Prokofieff'', or ''Prokofyev''. , group=n ( – 5 March 1953) was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor who l ...

, 2016Fraser, T.H. & Prokofiev, A.M. (2016): A new genus and species of cardinalfish (Percomorpha, Apogonidae, Sphaeramiini) from the coastal waters of Vietnam: luminescent or not? ''Zootaxa, 4144 (2): 227–242.'' ** '' Yarica'' Whitley 1930 ** '' Zapogon'' T. H. Fraser, 1972 ** '' Zoramia'' D. S. Jordan, 1917 *Subfamily

Paxtoninae The Pseudaminae is a subfamily of ray-finned fishes, one of two subfamilies of the family Apogonidae, the cardinalfishes. They are characterised by having large caniform teeth which are placed on the on dentary and premaxillae, by having the later ...

Fraser & Mabuchi, 2014 **'' Paxton'' C. C. Baldwin & G. D. Johnson, 1999 *Subfamily

Pseudaminae The Pseudaminae is a subfamily of ray-finned fishes, one of two subfamilies of the family Apogonidae, the cardinalfishes. They are characterised by having large caniform teeth which are placed on the on dentary and premaxillae, by having the later ...

Smith, 1954 ** ''

Gymnapogon ''Gymnapogon'' is a genus of fish in the family (biology), family Apogonidae. They are native to the Indo-Pacific, Indo-West Pacific and central Pacific Oceans, where they occur in reefs and nearby habitat types. These species are usually no more ...

'' Regan, 1905 ** ''

Pseudamia ''Pseudamia'' is a genus of cardinalfishes native to the Indian and Pacific oceans. Species There are currently 7 recognized species in this genus:Mabuchi, K., Fraser, T.H., Song, H., Azuma, Y. & Nishida, M. (2014)Revision of the systematics of ...

'' Bleeker, 1865 ** ''

Pseudamiops ''Pseudamiops'' is a genus of cardinalfishes native to the Pacific and Indian oceans. Species There are currently 5 recognized species in this genus:Mabuchi, K., Fraser, T.H., Song, H., Azuma, Y. & Nishida, M. (2014)Revision of the systematics ...

'' J. L. B. Smith, 1954

Fossil genera

The following fossil genera are also placed here: * Genus †'' Eosphaeramia'' Sorbini, 1983 * Genus †'' Eritima''

Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...

& Gilbert, 1919 * Genus †'' Eosphaeramia'' Sorbini, 1983 * Genus †'' Leptolumamia'' Bannikov & Fraser, 2016 * Subfamily

** Tribe †Eoapogonini Bannikov, 2005 *** Genus †'' Arconiapogon'' Marrama, Giusberti & Carnevale, 2022 *** Genus †'' Apogoniscus'' Bannikov, 2005 *** Genus †'' Bolcapogon'' Bannikov, 2005 *** Genus †'' Eoapogon'' Bannikov, 2005 * Subfamily

** Genus †'' Oligopseudamia'' Marrama, Giusberti & Carnevale, 2022 Fossil

otoliths An otolith (, ' ear + , ', a stone), also called otoconium, statolith, or statoconium, is a calcium carbonate structure in the saccule or utricle of the inner ear, specifically in the vestibular system of vertebrates. The saccule and utricle, i ...

assigned to the otolith-based genus '' Apogonidarum'' are known from the

Late Cretaceous The Late Cretaceous (100.5–66 Ma) is the more recent of two epochs into which the Cretaceous Period is divided in the geologic time scale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous Series. The Cretaceous is named after ''cre ...

(

Maastrichtian The Maastrichtian ( ) is, in the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) geologic timescale, the latest age (geology), age (uppermost stage (stratigraphy), stage) of the Late Cretaceous epoch (geology), Epoch or Upper Cretaceous series (s ...

'')'' of India and North Dakota, USA. If of apogonids, these represent the oldest record of the group.

References

External links

* Smith, J.L.B. (1961)
"Fishes of the family Apogonidae of the Western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea". ''Ichthyological Bulletin''; No. 22
Department of Ichthyology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa. * Hoey, A., Bellwood, D., & Barnett, A. (2012). To feed or to breed: Morphological constraints of mouthbrooding in coral reef cardinalfishes. Proceedings: Biological Sciences, 279(1737), 2426–2432. {{Taxonbar, from=Q728422 Percomorpha families Marine fish families Taxa named by Albert Günther