Ostorhinchus rubrimacula (Randall & Kulbicki, 1998)
Rubyspot cardinalfish
photo by Randall, J.E.

Family:  Apogonidae (Cardinalfishes), subfamily: Apogoninae
Max. size:  4.47 cm SL (male/unsexed); max. reported age: 4 years
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 33 m
Distribution:  Western Central Pacific: Ryukyu Islands south to Australia; Indonesia (Ref. 90102) east to Fiji Islands (Ref. 56673).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 8-8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 8-8; Vertebrae: 24-24. Predorsal scales 4; preopercular edge serrate; preopercular ridge smooth to slightly crenulate; body depth 2.85-3.05 in SL; silvery blue-gray with 6 orange to orange-yellow stripes on head and body, those on body narrower than blue-gray interspaces; third orange-yellow stripe from dorsal edge of eye ending below space between dorsal fins; midlateral orange-yellow stripe ending in a red spot at base of caudal fin (Ref. 33415).
Biology:  Inhabit coral reef (Ref. 75154). Form small aggregations (Ref. 33415). Distinguished from A. cyanosoma by the presence of a single red spot at the midbase of the caudal fin, a higher number of gill rakers, and apparently a smaller maximum size (Ref. 33415).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 February 2009 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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