Offshore Cardinalfish

The Offshore Cardinalfish (Ostorhinchus bryx) is a tropical, marine species commonly associated with reef environments, inhabiting depths ranging from 14 to 155 meters. This species can attain a maximum length of 5.2 centimeters.

Key morphological features of Ostorhinchus bryx include six spines on the first dorsal fin and three prominent dark stripes on the upper half of the head and body. Notably, the broadest stripe runs midlaterally, extending to the end of the caudal fin, while the two narrower stripes reach the base of the second dorsal fin, with the lower stripe extending to the caudal fin base. The second dorsal and anal fins do not exhibit dark stripes. Furthermore, this species has 23-26 gill rakers and rudiments and 14-15 pectoral rays. The stomach and intestine appear blackish, and the peritoneum is silvery, adorned with numerous melanophores.

As a benthic species, Ostorhinchus bryx is typically found over soft substrates, such as sand and silt bottoms. This fish species exhibits mouthbrooding behavior and demonstrates distinct pairing during courtship and spawning periods.

Geographically, the Offshore Cardinalfish is distributed across the Indo-West Pacific region, specifically along the continental shelves of the 🌊 Red Sea, 🌊 Indian Ocean, 🇦🇺 Australia, and the 🇵🇭 Philippines.