Ostorhinchus fasciatus (White, 1790)
Broadbanded cardinalfish
Striped cardinalfish,  Barred striped cardinalfish,  Broad-banded cardinalfish,  Four-banded soldier-fish
Ostorhinchus fasciatus
photo by CSIRO

Family:  Apogonidae (Cardinalfishes), subfamily: Apogoninae
Max. size:  12.6 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 2 - 128 m
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and Persian Gulf south to Mozambique and east to the western Pacific where it ranges from Japan to Sydney (Ref. 11411). Recorded from the Eastern Mediterranean (Ref. 93672).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 8-8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 8-8. Characterized by having generally white to dusky pinkish body color; 3-4 dark stripes on upper half of body; presence of broad, uniform midlateral stripe continued to caudal fin; narrower stripe above eye to upper caudal peduncle; base of dorsal fin to upper caudal peduncle with thin stripe; incomplete diffuse stripe above midlateral strip; greatest depth of body 2.6-2.7 in SL (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Inhabits coastal reefs, in sandy or weedy areas (Ref. 9710). Nocturnal. Juveniles often occur with sea anemones (Ref. 37816).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 05 February 2021 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:  Type locality, Port Jackson, Australia, USNM 59972 (neotype of Mullus fasciatus, 8.09 cm SL) (Ref. 58479). Museum: LPPL JIF41 (TGT2160). Known from Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales (Ref. 7300); including Darwin to North West Cape (Ref. 5978). Also Ref. 4329, 90102, 93839, 76833.


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