Bullseye Cardinalfish

Apogonichthyoides pharaonis, commonly referred to as the Pharaoh cardinalfish, is a member of the family Apogonidae. This species is indigenous to the undefined and the 🌊 Red Sea. Notably, it has extended its range into the eastern Mediterranean Sea through a process known as Lessepsian migration, facilitated by the Suez Canal (🇪🇬 Egypt).

The morphology of Apogonichthyoides pharaonis includes an oblong, compressed body, reaching lengths of up to 10 cm, though more typically observed between 4–6 cm. It features two distinct dorsal fins, where the first two spines of the first dorsal fin are notably short, the third spine is the longest, and the second dorsal fin comprises one spine and 8–9 soft rays. The anal fin is positioned directly beneath the second dorsal fin and is characterized by 2 spines and 7-8 soft rays, while the caudal fin is truncated. The pelvic fin, with 1 spine and 5 soft rays, originates beneath the base of the pectoral fins, which are equipped with 15-16 soft rays. The fish's large, oblique mouth is equipped with jaws, palatine, and vomer possessing villiform teeth. The proportionally large eye has a diameter exceeding the distance from eye to snout. Additionally, the preoperculum features a smooth ridge and a serrated margin, with a spine that aligns with the central point of the eye emerging from the operculum. The body is marked by three vertical black bars against a grey-brown background, with one bar descending from each dorsal fin and the last located on the caudal peduncle. A distinctive black 'eye-spot' encased by a yellow ring is present within the first bar. The leading edge of the first dorsal fin is dark, while that of the pelvic fins is white.

Intrinsically nocturnal, Apogonichthyoides pharaonis seeks refuge in caves, crevices, or among seagrass beds at depths ranging from 1–50 meters during daylight hours. It feeds on zooplankton during its nocturnal activities. Reproductively, it is a mouth brooder, with males incubating eggs in their mouths until the offspring are capable of independent swimming.

Originally described as Agopogon pharaonis in 1874 by Italian ichthyologist and paleontologist Cristoforo Bellotti, its type locality is recorded as Suez. Previously, it was considered synonymous with Apogonichthyoides nigripinnis; however, it is now recognized as a distinct species, with A. nigripinnis inhabiting the eastern 🌊 Indian Ocean and western 🌊 Pacific Ocean. Apogonichthyoides pharaonis was first documented in the Mediterranean Sea in the 1940s near Palestine, initially misidentified as Apogon taeniatus, and has subsequently been recorded in the waters off Rhodes, Cyprus, 🇹🇷 Turkey, and Libya.