Perdix Cardinalfish, Apogonichthys perdix Bleeker 1854
Other Names: Waikiki Cardinalfish
A Perdix Cardinalfish, Apogonichthys perdix, from Waikiki, Hawaii. Source: John E. Randall / FishBase. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial
Summary:
A small olive-brown cardinalfish with irregular dark spots and streaks, speckled fins, a dark line usually present from the eye to the origin of the lateral line, usually a stripe from the eye across part of the gill cover, and a small distinctive white spot at the end of the dorsal and anal fins, and a third on the middle of the caudal-fin base.
Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2025, Apogonichthys perdix in Fishes of Australia, accessed 27 Jun 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/1632
Perdix Cardinalfish, Apogonichthys perdix Bleeker 1854
More Info
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Distribution |
Shark Bay to Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, and Ashmore Reef and Cartier Island in the Timor Sea; also Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the eastern Indian Ocean. Elsewhere the species occurs in the tropical, Indo-west-central Pacific. Inhabits seagrass beds, areas with abundant algae, coral rubble, reef flats, silty and dead reefs. |
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Features |
Dorsal fin VII + I, 9; Anal fin II, 8; Pectoral fin 14; Gill rakers 1-2 + 11-12, developed rakers 5-7; Lateral-line scales 25. Depth 2.4-2.6, head 2.1-2.4 in SL; eye 3.2-3.6 in head. Preopercle edge poorly ossified; anterior nostril with short flap; maxilla reaches to rear margin of orbit or slightly beyond; a band of minute villiform teeth on each jaw and vomer. |
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Size |
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Colour |
Olive brown, usually with irregular dark spots and streaks; all fins speckled; a dark line from eye to origin of LL and stripe from eye to angle of preopercle usually present. |
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Biology |
The male parent broods the developing eggs in his mouth. |
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Etymology |
The specific name is from the Greek perdix (= partridge), possibly in reference to the mottled brown colour of this species. |
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Species Citation |
Apogonichthys perdix Bleeker 1854, Natuurkundig Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch Indië 6: 321. Type locality: Larantoeka, Flores, Indonesia. |
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Author |
Bray, D.J. 2025 |
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Resources |
Perdix Cardinalfish, Apogonichthys perdix Bleeker 1854
References
Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.
Allen, G.R. & Smith-Vaniz, W.F. 1994. Fishes of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin 412: 1-21
Bleeker, P. 1854. Bijdrage tot de kennis der ichthyologische fauna van het eiland Flores. Natuurkundig Tijdschrift voor Nederlandsch Indië 6: 311-338
Cabasan, J.P., Williams, J.T., Samaniego, B., Arceo, H. & Santos, M. 2024. Apogonichthys perdix. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2024: e.T193314A2220075. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-1.RLTS.T193314A2220075.en. Accessed on 30 April 2025.
Fraser, T.H., Gon, O. & Kraai, M. 2022. Family Apogonidae: Cardinalfishes, pp. 167-223 in Heemstra, P.C., Heemstra, E., Ebert, D.A., Holleman, W. & Randall, J.E. (eds). Coastal Fishes of the Western Indian Ocean. South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Makhanda.
Gon, O. 1986. Family No. 175: Apogonidae, pp. 546-561, Pls. 48-51 in Smith, M.M. & Heemstra, P.C. (eds). Smith's Sea Fishes. Johannesburg : Macmillan South Africa xx + 1047 pp. 144 pls. See ref at BHL
Gon, O. & Randall, J.E. 2003. A review of the cardinalfishes (Perciformes: Apogonidae) of the Red Sea. Smithiana Bulletin 1: 1-47.
Hobbs, J-P.A., Newman, S .J., Mitsopoulos, G.E.A., Travers, M.J., Skepper, C.L., Gilligan, J.J., Allen, G.R., Choat, H.J. & Ayling, A.M. 2014. Fishes of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands: new records, community composition and biogeographic significance. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 30: 203–219
Hutchins, J.B. 1994. A survey of the nearshore reef fish fauna of Western Australia's west and south coasts — The Leeuwin Province. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 46: 1-66 figs 1-6
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
Randall, J.E. 1998. Review of the cardinalfishes (Apogonidae) of the Hawaiian Islands, with descriptions of two new species. Aqua, Journal of Ichthyology and Aquatic Biology 3(1): 25-38
Randall, J.E. 2005. Reef and shore fishes of the South Pacific. New Caledonia to Tahiti and the Pitcairn Islands. Honolulu : University of Hawaii Press 707 pp.
Russell, B.C., Larson, H.K., Hutchins, J.B. & Allen, G.R. 2005. Reef fishes of the Sahul Shelf. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory Supplement 1 2005: 83-105
