Cook's Cardinalfish (species: Ostorhinchus cookii) in ALA: Lizard Island (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Ostorhinchus cookii
Cook's Cardinalfish


©Andy Lewis: An adult Cook's Cardinalfish
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Perciformes
Family Apogonidae
Genus Ostorhinchus
Species Ostorhinchus cookii

Colours

                   

Distinguishing features

A small dark brown fish with a series of silver lines running horizontally along the body. The thick mid-lateral stripe terminates in a black dot at the tail base. Usually singly or in small groups near overhanging ledges and caves.

Size

  • Up to 10 cm (Standard length)

Depth range

  • Depth range data is not yet available.

Synonyms

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Distribution and habitat preferences

Ledges and caves in sheltered lagoonal and back-reef habitats.

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 caves and holes in the reef. 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

  • Depczynski, M. (2006). Small cryptic fishes on coral reefs: a new perspective on reef fish ecology and life histories, Ph.D. thesis, James Cook University. LIRS catalog number 1070.
  • Depczynski, M. and D.R. Bellwood (2005). Wave energy and spatial variability in community structure of small cryptic coral reef fishes, Marine Ecology Progress Series, 303: 283-293. LIRS catalog number 932.
  • Doving, K.B., O.B. Stabell, S. Ostlund-Nilsson and R. Fisher (2006). Site fidelity and homing in tropical coral reef cardinalfish: are they using olfactory cues? Chemical Senses, 31: 265-272. LIRS catalog number 990.
  • View all references