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Twospot cardinalfish (Apogon pseudomaculatus) — Apogonidae

Twospot cardinalfish

Apogon pseudomaculatus
Family: Apogonidae
LC · Least Concern

The Twospot cardinalfish (Apogon pseudomaculatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Apogonidae that grows up to 11 cm.

Length
11 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–100.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The twospot cardinalfish is a small reef fish of the cardinalfish family (Apogonidae) from the western Atlantic and Caribbean. The species grows to about 11 cm and has a reddish body with a dark spot below the second dorsal fin and a second spot on the tail base, to which the name refers. It lives on hard and semi-hard bottoms of the continental shelf, in harbours and around pilings and sea walls. It is a nocturnal species that hides by day and hunts small animals at night. Like other cardinalfishes the male broods the eggs in its mouth. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Twospot cardinalfish?

The Twospot cardinalfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly red-orange and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Twospot cardinalfish live?

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

How big does the Twospot cardinalfish get?

The Twospot cardinalfish grows to a maximum of about 11 cm.

Is the Twospot cardinalfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Twospot cardinalfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Twospot cardinalfish edible?

The Twospot cardinalfish is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Tweevlek-kardinaalbaars sourced
English name
Twospot cardinalfish verified
Scientific name
Apogon pseudomaculatus
Family
Apogonidae
Other names
Twospot Cardinalfish; Twospot cardinalfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
11.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange inferred
Pattern
Spots inferred
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Superior (upward) inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
100.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Nocturnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

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 Apogon

More from the family Apogonidae

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