Blue-eye Cardinalfish (species: Ostorhinchus compressus) in ALA: Lizard Island (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Ostorhinchus compressus
Blue-eye Cardinalfish


©Simon Gingins: Ostorhinchus compressus at Lizard Island

©Andy Lewis: A Blue-eye Cardinalfish showing the irridescent eye ring

©Andy Lewis: Sub-adult Ostorhinchus compressus showing the yellow tail spot characteristic of the juveniles
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Perciformes
Family Apogonidae
Genus Ostorhinchus
Species Ostorhinchus compressus

Colours

                   

Distinguishing features

A small fish with dark horizontal stripes, including a short one above the eye, and a distinct iridescent blue ring around the eye, usually seen in schools near branching coral. Juveniles have a yellow tail base containing a black spot.

Size

  • Up to 12 cm (Standard length)

Depth range

  • Depth range data is not yet available.

Synonyms

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Distribution and habitat preferences

Areas of live branching coral (usually staghorn Acropora).

Found in most sheltered reef habitats around the island.

Behaviour

A nocturnal predator on crustacean zooplankton, these fish rest during the day close to the shelter of branching staghorn corals. They breed October - February, and the male fish hold the eggs in the mouth for 3-5days until the larvae hatch. Cardinalfishes have very short lifespans, becoming mature at 1 year old and living for only 3-5 years.

Web resources

References

  • Caley, M.J. (1995). Reef fish community structure and dynamics: in interaction between local and larger-scale processes? Marine Ecology Progress Series, 129: 19-29. LIRS catalog number 448.
  • Caley, M.J. and J. St John (1996). Refuge availability structures assemblages of tropical reef fishes, Journal of Animal Ecology, 65: 414-428. LIRS catalog number 458.
  • Caley, M.J. and J. St John (1996). Refuge availability structures assemblages of tropical reef fishes, Journal of Animal Ecology, 65: 414-428. LIRS catalog number 458.
  • View all references