Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Perciformes (Perch-likes) >
Apogonidae (Cardinalfishes) > Apogoninae
Etymology: Siphamia: A Swazi word, siphama, for a fish. More on author: Weber.
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 100 m (Ref. 90035), usually 1 - 18 m (Ref. 90102). Tropical, preferred ?
Indo-West Pacific: from the Red Sea south to Madagascar and east through the Maldives, Sri Lanka and India to the Andaman Sea Islands and Western Australia; north to Ryukyus; throughout the Indo-Malayan region to Vanuatu.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 7.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 89972)
Short description
Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal
spines
(total): 8;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 9;
Anal
spines: 2;
Anal
soft rays: 8. This species is distinguished by the following characters: D1 VII, D2 I,9; A II,8; pectoral fin rays 14-16; tubed lateral-line scales 20-24; median predorsal scales 4 (rarely 3 or 5); total gill rakers 2-4 + 8-10 = 11-14; developed gill rakers 1 + 7-9; gill rakers on ceratobranchial 7-8; body depth 2.3-2.7 in SL and body width 1.9-2.2 in the depth; eye diameter 2.6-3.5 in HL; first dorsal spine 2.4-4.6 in second spine; second dorsal spine 3.7-6.6, second dorsal fin spine 3.7-5.4, second anal spine 5.0-7.0, all in head length; pectoral-fin length 4.2-5.3 and pelvic-fin length 4.2-4.7 in SL; caudal peduncle length 1.5-2.1 in distance between pelvic spine insertion and anal-fin origin; preopercular edge with 23-35 serrations, the preopercular ridge smooth; scales mostly spinoid, but some cycloid scales on anterior part of body; vomer and palatines with 1-2 series of small teeth, but palatines sometimes toothless; tip of light organ on each side of tongue bound by membrane (Ref. 90035).
Found in coastal reefs and outer reef lagoons. This species forms small groups with long-spined urchins (Ref. 48635) (e.g. Diadema setosum in shallow sheltered waters, Ref. 1602); but was also found among the spines of Acanthaster planci (Ref. 90035). Feeds on zooplanktons and small invertebrates (Ref. 89972).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Distinct pairing during courtship and spawning (Ref. 205).
Gon, O. and G.R. Allen, 2012. Revision of the Indo-Pacific cardinalfish genus Siphamia (Perciformes: Apogonidae). Zootaxa 3294:1-84. (Ref. 90035)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
More information
Age/SizeGrowthLength-weightLength-lengthLength-frequenciesMorphometricsMorphologyLarvaeLarval dynamicsRecruitmentAbundance
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