Ostorhinchus compressus
Blue-eye Cardinalfish
©Simon Gingins: Ostorhinchus compressus at Lizard Island
©Andy Lewis: Sub-adult Ostorhinchus compressus showing the yellow tail spot characteristic of the juveniles
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Actinopterygii
Order
Perciformes
Family
Apogonidae
Genus
Ostorhinchus
Species
Ostorhinchus compressus
Colours
Distinguishing features
A small fish with dark horizontal stripes, including a short one above the eye, and a distinct iridescent blue ring around the eye, usually seen in schools near branching coral. Juveniles have a yellow tail base containing a black spot.
Size
- Up to 12 cm (Standard length)
Depth range
- Depth range data is not yet available.
Synonyms
Distribution
©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution
Distribution and habitat preferences
Areas of live branching coral (usually staghorn Acropora).
Found in most sheltered reef habitats around the island.
Behaviour
A nocturnal predator on crustacean zooplankton, these fish rest during the day close to the shelter of branching staghorn corals. They breed October - February, and the male fish hold the eggs in the mouth for 3-5days until the larvae hatch. Cardinalfishes have very short lifespans, becoming mature at 1 year old and living for only 3-5 years.
Web resources
References
- Caley, M.J. (1995). Reef fish community structure and dynamics: in interaction between local and larger-scale processes? Marine Ecology Progress Series, 129: 19-29. LIRS catalog number 448.
- Caley, M.J. and J. St John (1996). Refuge availability structures assemblages of tropical reef fishes, Journal of Animal Ecology, 65: 414-428. LIRS catalog number 458.
- Caley, M.J. and J. St John (1996). Refuge availability structures assemblages of tropical reef fishes, Journal of Animal Ecology, 65: 414-428. LIRS catalog number 458.
- View all references