Threadfin cardinalfish (Zoramia leptacantha)
Key facts
- Scientific name
- Zoramia leptacantha
- Common name
- Threadfin cardinalfish
- Category
- Fish
- Family
- Apogonidae
- Genus
- Zoramia
- Size
- 4–6 cm
- Depth
- 2–20 m
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
- Danger level
- Harmless
- Habitats
- coral-reef
- Behaviours
- schooling
- Ocean zones
- Asian Pacific, East Atlantic, Indian Ocean & Red Sea
Description
Zoramia leptacantha reaches 6 cm. Small Indo-Pacific cardinalfish (Apogonidae) with very transparent body with golden-yellow longitudinal dorsal band and lateral blue line, large red eyes. Lives in dense tight schools from 2 to 20 m around branching corals (Acropora, Pocillopora) of central Indo-Pacific. Cryptic, often almost invisible except for the school. Planktivore. Iconic wide-angle photo subject for crystalline schools on branching corals, signature of Indonesia dives.
Photo of Threadfin cardinalfish
Frequently asked questions
- How big is the Threadfin cardinalfish?
- Threadfin cardinalfish (Zoramia leptacantha) reaches 4–6 cm in length.
- At what depth can you find the Threadfin cardinalfish?
- Threadfin cardinalfish is found between 2–20 m deep.
- Is the Threadfin cardinalfish dangerous to divers?
- Danger level: Harmless.
- What is the conservation status of the Threadfin cardinalfish?
- IUCN status: Least concern (LC).
- Where can you find the Threadfin cardinalfish?
- Found in: Asian Pacific, East Atlantic, Indian Ocean & Red Sea.
Other species in the family Apogonidae
- Apogon imberbis - Cardinal fish
- Pterapogon kauderni - Banggai cardinalfish
- Sphaeramia nematoptera - Pajama cardinalfish
- Apogon kiensis - Rifle cardinalfish
- Ostorhinchus cyanosoma - Yellowstriped cardinalfish
- Ostorhinchus compressus - Ochre-striped cardinalfish
Sources
- Taxonomy: WoRMS (AphiaID 283228)
- Photos: iNaturalist (CC BY-NC)
- Distribution: GBIF (taxonKey 2397567)
- Conservation: IUCN Red List
- Encyclopedia: Wikipedia