--- title: Cardinals (Apogonidae) scientific_name: Apogonidae common_name: Cardinals rank: Family published: 2024-11-19T18:41:51.573Z updated: 2026-08-03T20:50:02.483Z tags: Cardinals, Apogonidae, Red Sea, Marine Life, Diving url: https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals --- # Cardinals (*Apogonidae*) ## Quick facts - **Rank:** Family - **Scientific name:** Apogonidae - **Body shape:** Oval - Egg-shaped body, deeper than it is thick - damselfishes, surgeonfishes. - **Species listed here:** 47 ## How to recognise this group - notably large eyes - prominent mouth - two distinct dorsal fins - dense aggregations in reef crevices or caves during day Cardinalfishes (Apogonidae) are generally small, often compressed fish, typically 5-15 cm (2-6 in) long, though some species reach 20 cm (8 in). They are characterised by notably large eyes, a prominent mouth, and two distinct dorsal fins. Many species display patterns of horizontal stripes, spots, or blotches on reddish, silvery, or translucent bodies. During daylight hours, most cardinalfishes gather in dense aggregations within reef crevices, under ledges, or inside small caves, inhabiting depths from the shallows to at least 60 m (200 ft). They are primarily nocturnal predators, emerging at dusk to feed on zooplankton and small benthic invertebrates. Male cardinalfishes mouthbrood their eggs, holding them in their buccal cavity until hatching. Divers frequently encounter these aggregations in sheltered reef areas. ## Species (47) - [Anklet Cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus pselion)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/anklet-cardinalfish) - [Arabic Cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus arabicus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/arabic-cardinalfish) - [Banded Cardinalfish (Apogonichthyoides taeniatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/banded-cardinalfish) - [Blackbelly Cardinalfish (Rhabdamia nigrimentum)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/blackbelly-cardinalfish) - [Blackstriped Cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus nigrofasciatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/blackstriped-cardinalfish) - [Bridled Cardinalfish (Pristiapogon fraenatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/bridled-cardinalfish) - [Brown Cardinalfish (Nectamia fusca)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/brown-cardinalfish) - [Bullseye Cardinalfish (Apogonichthyoides pharaonis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/bullseye-cardinalfish) - [Camouflage Cardinalfish (Apogonichthys perdix)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/camouflage-cardinalfish) - [Campbell's Cardinalfish (Apogon campbelli)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/campbells-cardinalfish) - [Cave Cardinalfish (Zapogon isus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/cave-cardinalfish) - [Cook’s Cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus cookii)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/cooks-cardinalfish) - [Crosseyed Cardinalfish (Fowleria aurita)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/crosseyed-cardinalfish) - [Dotted Cardinalfish (Fowleria isostigma)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/dotted-cardinalfish) - [Eightspine Cardinalfish (Neamia octospina)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/eightspine-cardinalfish) - [Five-lined Cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/five-lined-cardinalfish) - [Flower Cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus fleurieu)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/flower-cardinalfish) - [Gelatinous Cardinalfish (Pseudamia gelatinosa)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/gelatinous-cardinalfish) - [Goldbelly Cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus apogonoides)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/goldbelly-cardinalfish) - [Iridescent Cardinalfish (Pristiapogon kallopterus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/iridescent-cardinalfish) - [Lachner’s Cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus lachneri)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/lachners-cardinalfish) - [Large-Toothed Cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus macrodon)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/large-toothed-cardinalfish) - [Marbled Cardinalfish (Fowleria marmorata)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/marbled-cardinalfish) - [Mottled Cardinalfish (Fowleria vaiulae)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/mottled-cardinalfish) - [Narrowstripe Cardinalfish (Pristiapogon exostigma)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/narrowstripe-cardinalfish) - [Oblique-Banded Cardinalfish (Apogon semiornatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/oblique-banded-cardinalfish) - [Offshore Cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus bryx)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/offshore-cardinalfish) - [Onespot Cardinalfish (Rhabdamia spilota)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/onespot-cardinalfish) - [Orange-lined Cardinalfish (Taeniamia fucata)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/orange-lined-cardinalfish) - [Orbicular Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia orbicularis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/orbicular-cardinalfish) - [Peppered Cardinalfish (Fowleria variegata)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/peppered-cardinalfish) - [Red Sea Nymph Cardinalfish (Cercamia spio)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/red-sea-nymph-cardinalfish) - [Redmouth Cardinalfish (Apogon erythrosoma)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/redmouth-cardinalfish) - [Ringtail Cardinalfish (Nectamia annularis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/ringtail-cardinalfish) - [Ruby Cardinalfish (Apogon coccineus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/ruby-cardinalfish) - [Sidespot Cardinalfish (Apogonichthyoides heptastygma)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/sidespot-cardinalfish) - [Springer's Cardinalfish (Pseudamiops springeri)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/springers-cardinalfish) - [Swallowtail Cardinalfish (Verulux cypseluruss)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/swallowtail-cardinalfish) - [Talbot’s Cardinalfish (Apogon talboti)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/talbots-cardinalfish) - [Threadfin Cardinalfish (Zoramia leptacantha)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/threadfin-cardinalfish) - [Timor Cardinalfish (Apogonichthyoides timorensis)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/timor-cardinalfish) - [Tubed Siphonfish (Siphamia tubifer)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/tubed-siphonfish) - [Twoline Cardinalfish (Taeniamia bilineata)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/twoline-cardinalfish) - [Twospot Cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus novemstriatus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/twospot-cardinalfish) - [Weedy Cardinalfish (Foa fo)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/weedy-cardinalfish) - [Yellow-striped Cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus cyanosoma)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/yellow-striped-cardinalfish) - [Zebra Cardinalfish (Nectamia zebrinus)](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals/zebra-cardinalfish) --- *Source: [Red Sea Creatures](https://redseacreatures.com/taxon/fishes/bony-fishes/cardinals)* *Updated: August 3, 2026*