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Bronze Cardinalfish (Astrapogon alutus) — Apogonidae

Bronze Cardinalfish

Astrapogon alutus
Family: Apogonidae
NE · Not Evaluated

The Bronze Cardinalfish (Astrapogon alutus) is a saltwater fish of the family Apogonidae that grows up to 7 cm.

Length
6.5 cm
Water
Saltwater
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The bronze cardinalfish is a small cardinalfish from the western Atlantic and Caribbean. The species grows to about 7 cm and has a bronzy to dark body with large eyes and long pelvic fins. Remarkably, by day it often shelters in the mantle cavity of living large shellfish, such as the queen conch, and emerges at night to hunt small zooplankton. Like other cardinalfishes the male broods the eggs in its mouth. The fish is harmless to humans. The IUCN has not evaluated the species.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Bronze Cardinalfish?

The Bronze Cardinalfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Bronze Cardinalfish live?

The Bronze Cardinalfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Bronze Cardinalfish get?

The Bronze Cardinalfish grows to a maximum of about 7 cm.

Is the Bronze Cardinalfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Bronze Cardinalfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Bronze Cardinalfish edible?

The Bronze Cardinalfish is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Brons-kardinaalbaars verified
English name
Bronze Cardinalfish verified
Scientific name
Astrapogon alutus
Family
Apogonidae
Other names
Bronze cardinalfish; Freckeled cardinalfish; Pensacola cardinalfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
6.5 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown inferred
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Geen doelsoort voor de hengelsport; hooguit incidentele vangst of bruikbaar als aasvisje. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Astrapogon

More from the family Apogonidae

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