Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Perciformes (Perch-likes) >
Epigonidae (Deepwater cardinalfishes)
Etymology: Epigonus: Greek, epi = over, in front + Greek, gonio = angle (Ref. 45335).
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; bathydemersal; depth range 130 - 830 m (Ref. 31632), usually 300 - 600 m (Ref. 4738). Deep-water, preferred ?; 43°N - 44°S, 98°W - 142°E
Cosmopolitan. Western Atlantic: Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. Eastern Atlantic: along the west coast of Africa to the southern tip of the continent, also western Mediterranean to southern Adriatic Sea. Indian Ocean: Reunion (Ref. 33390). Western Pacific: southwest coast of Japan, southern Australia and eastern New Zealand. Central Pacific: Hawaiian Ridge (Ref. 31632).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 20.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4329)
Dorsal
spines
(total): 7;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 10;
Anal
spines: 2;
Anal
soft rays: 8 - 9. Lacks opercular spines (Ref. 31632). Membranous edge at upper border of the gill cover is well developed. Caudal peduncle elongated, body not deep (Ref. 31632). Pyloric caeca 10-14. Preserved specimens are brownish to yellowish in color, dorsally darker. Numerous brown-black melanophores on scale pockets.
Adults benthic on the continental slope and collected with bottom trawls (Ref. 7321). Juveniles are pelagic in depths of 130-145 and 350-425 m (Ref. 9563). Feed on small fishes and planktonic invertebrates (Ref. 4738). Oviparous (Ref. 4738).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Maugé, L.A. and G.F. Mayer, 1990. Apogonidae. p. 714-718. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 7321)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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