Meteor Cardinalfish, Ostorhinchus selas (Randall & Hayashi 1990)


Other Names: Band-spot Cardinalfish, Shooting-star Cardinalfish

A Meteor Cardinalfish, Apogon selas, at Puebo, New Celedonia. Source: Richard BAJOL / picture-worl.org. License: All rights reserved

Summary:
A translucent pinkish-grey cardinalfish with a broad reddish to golden brown midlateral stripe, a second broad stripe along the lower part of the head sometimes running onto the abdomen, a large black spot on the caudal peduncle, and an internal bluish blotch on the lower side.

Cite this page as:
Dianne J. Bray, Ostorhinchus selas in Fishes of Australia, accessed 28 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/1621

Meteor Cardinalfish, Ostorhinchus selas (Randall & Hayashi 1990)

More Info


Distribution

Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, QLD, and reefs in the Coral Sea. The species occurs elsewhere in the tropical, west Pacific. Inhabits sheltered coastal reefs with low coral growth or coral rubble.

Features

Dorsal fin VII + I, 9; Anal fin II, 8; Pectoral fin 13; Lateral-line scales 24-25; ; Predorsal scales 4; Gill rakers 3-5 + 11-14.

Body depth 2.9-3.6 in SL; preopercular margin serrate.

Remarks

The Meteor Cardinalfish was previously known as Apogon selas.

Similar Species


Etymology

The specific name is from the Greek selas  meaning fiery meteor.

Species Citation

Apogon selas Randall & Hayashi 1990, Japan. J. Ichthyol. 36(4): 399, figs 1-2. Type locality: Tripod Reef, lagoon off Nagada Harbor, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea, depth 30 m. 

Author

Dianne J. Bray

Meteor Cardinalfish, Ostorhinchus selas (Randall & Hayashi 1990)

References


Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls. (as Apogon selas)

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.

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. PDF

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.

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs. (as Apogon selas)

Randall, J.E. & Hayashi, M. 1990. Apogon selas, a new cardinalfish from the western Pacific. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology 36(4): 399-403. PDF

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37327152

Biology:Mouth brooder (males)

Depth:3-60 m

Depth:5.5 cm TL

Habitat:Reef associated

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CAAB distribution map