Description:

Dorsal spines: 8; Dorsal rays: 9; Anal spines: 2; Anal rays: 8.

Small, moderately full-bodied Cardinal fish. Some teeth on side of lower jaw enlarged.

Colour. Reddish dorsally becoming a deep golden-yellow anterioventrally. Darker band edged in electric blue from the upper jaw through the eye and across 
the gill cover. Juveniles pale. Adults to deep golden with blue spots in three rows on mid-lateral surface of body.
 

Maturity: Unknown. Max length : 10.0 cm TL. Common length : 8.0 cm SL.
 

Inhabits sheltered coastal to outer reefs and rocky cliffs, on shallow flats to deeper areas (depth 3-60 m, usually 10-34 m). Usually in pairs, small 
aggregations, or occasionally schooling. Feeds on zooplankon and invertebrates. Distinct pairing during courtship and spawning. Exhibits mouth brooding.

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is not subject to the artisanal fishery. 
 

Photos courtesy Eleanor Brighton and Chris Mason-Parker (c) 2022 Blue Safari Seychelles/Marine Conservation Society, Seychelles. Photographs taken at Alphonse group 2022.
 

Bray, D.J. (2020). Ostorhinchus apogonoides in Fishes of Australia, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4107 (09/09/22). 
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. (Eds.) (2022). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Ostorhinchus-apogonoides.html (08/09/22). 
Smith, M. & Heemstra, P. (Eds.) (1999). Smiths’ Sea Fishes Edition 6. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 10.1007/978-3-642-82858-4

Nevill, J.E.G., Brighton, E. & Mason-Parker, C. (2022). Ostorhinchus apogonoides, Short-tooth cardinal. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/ostorhinchus-apogonoides-bleeker-1856/