Description:

Dorsal spines: 7; Dorsal rays: 9; Anal spines: 2; Anal rays: 12-13.

Small, slender cardinalfish, with deeply forked caudal fin. Villiform teeth on jaws, those on vomer slightly larger. Few or no teeth on palatines. 
Scales cycloid.

Colour. Transluscent white to pink body with silver belly and bluish midlateral stripe. Black spot sometimes present on caudal peduncle and black tips on 
one or both caudal fin lobes.

Maturity: Unknown. Max length : 7.4 cm TL.
 

Inhabits coastal reefs and lagoons (depth 3-90 m). Forms dense aggregations.  Planktivorous, feeding both during the day and at night.Forms pairs during 
courtship and spawning.

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

Photographed at Baie Ternay, Mahé, Seychelles.
 

Bray, D.J. (2022). Rhabdamia gracilis in Fishes of Australia, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4231 (31/08/22). 
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. (Eds.) (2022). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/5747 (05/09/22). 
Mason-Parker, C. et al. (2021). Rhabdamia gracilis in Reef Fishes of Seychelles. John Beaufoy Publishing Ltd, UK
Smith, M. & Heemstra, P. (Eds.) (1999). Smiths’ Sea Fishes Edition 6. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 10.1007/978-3-642-82858-4

Mason-Parker, C. & Nevill, J.E.G. (2022). Rhabdamia gracilis, Luminous cardinalfish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/rhabdamia-gracilis-bleeker-1856/