Ring-tailed cardinalfish (Apogon aureus) - Lembeh strait, North Sulawesi
by Sergio Discepolo 2007
Apogon aureus
The ring-tailed cardinalfish (Apogon aureus) is a widespread fish species in the family Apogonidae.
This fish is coppery-coloured with a broad blackish bar at the base of the tail up to 14.5cm in length. The upper jaw has a narrow blue streak, and a broad blackish stripe extends from the front of the snout to the eye. Easily confused with Apogon fleurieu, where the black tail bar does not narrow in the centre, but unlike this species the stripe is also present in juveniles.
Inhabits holes in rocks or under ledges in shallow waters from Red Sea and East Africa to Papua New Guinea, north to Japan, south to Australia. Known to occur in mixed aggregates with Apogon apogonoidesduring summer and autumn, but form separate aggregates in winter and spring
