Bridled Cardinalfish

The Bridled Cardinalfish (Pristiapogon fraenatus) is a tropical species commonly found in marine environments associated with coral reefs, within a depth range of 3 to 50 meters. The species can reach a maximum length of 11 cm.

A notable characteristic of the Bridled Cardinalfish is a small, basicaudal spot located near the size of the pupil. This spot is centered at the level of the lateral stripe, with its lower edge aligning with the lower ray of the central two rays in the caudal fin. It is important to note that this spot is typically absent in deeper waters or during nighttime and may fade in the afternoon.

The Bridled Cardinalfish exhibits mouthbrooding behavior and shows distinct pairing during courtship and spawning periods.

Geographically, this species is distributed across the Indo-Pacific region, ranging from the 🌊 Red Sea to Durban, 🇿🇦 South Africa, extending to the Line and Tuamoto Islands (🇵🇫 French Polynesia), reaching north to the Ryukyu Islands (🇯🇵 Japan), and south to New South Wales, 🇦🇺 Australia.