Teleostei (teleosts) > 
Kurtiformes (Nurseryfishes, cardinalfishes.) > 
Apogonidae (Cardinalfishes) > Apogoninae						
							
							Etymology: neotes: Name from Greek meaning youth, referring to the juvenile appearance of this neotenic species (Ref. 11893).
More on authors: Allen, Kuiter & Randall.						
					
				
					Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range					
						Ecology					
				
				
				
					Marine;  reef-associated; depth range 3 - 25 m (Ref. 11893), usually 15 - 20 m (Ref. 48636). Tropical				
				 
			
			
			
				
				
				
					Western Central Pacific:  Philippines (Ref. 48613); Maumere Bay (Indonesia), Palau and Madang, Papua New Guinea; Australia (Ref. 75154) and Solomon Islands (Ref. 90102). Recently reported from Tonga (Ref. 53797).
				
				 
			
			
				
					Size / Weight / Age
				
				
				
					Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
 Max length : 2.7 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 11893)				
				 
			
			
						
				
				
				
					Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 8; Vertebrae: 24. This species is distinguished by having D VI-I,9; A II,8; pectoral rays 13; mid-lateral line scales 24; tubed lateral line scales absent; predorsal scales 4; gill rakers 5+16-18, excluding an indistinct rudiment on upper limb; preopercular margin serrate; preopercular ridge smooth; vomer and palatine toothless; body depth 4.2-4.7 in SL; semi-transparent in life with black sub-dermal midlateral stripe and black, pupil-sized spot at the base of the caudal fin (Ref. 11893).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated.				
				 
			
			
			
			
			
			
			
				Inhabits lagoons and outer reefs in relatively clear water; usually with soft corals or gorgonian fans (Ref. 11893).  Forms small schools (Ref. 48636).			
			 
			
			
			
				
					Life cycle and mating behavior					
					Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae				
				
				
				
				Mouthbrooders (Ref. 240). Distinct pairing during courtship and spawning (Ref. 205).				
				 
			
			 
				
				
				
					Allen, G.R., R.H. Kuiter and J.E. Randall, 1994. Descriptions of five new species of cardinalfishes (Apogonidae: Apogon) from Maumere Bay, Flores, Indonesia and surrounding regions. Rev. Fr. Aquariol. 21(1-2):27-38. (Ref. 11893)
				
				 
			
			
			
							
					
						IUCN Red List Status   (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
					
					
				 
					
			
			
			
			
			
			
			
				
					Threat to humans  
				
				
				
					  Harmless				
				
			 
			
			
			
			
				
					Human uses  				
				
				
									
				
				
			
			
						
			
			
			
				
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					Estimates based on models				
				
				
				Preferred temperature (Ref. 
123201): 26.3 - 29, mean 28.2 °C (based on 126 cells).
				
				
					
					Phylogenetic diversity index  (Ref. 
82804):  PD
50 = 0.5000   [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].					
													Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00550 (0.00223 - 0.01355), b=3.27 (3.06 - 3.48), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 
93245).
					
					Trophic level  (Ref. 
69278):  3.2   ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives					
											
				
				
										
						Resilience  (Ref. 
120179):  High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).					
											
				
									
					Fishing Vulnerability  (Ref. 
59153):  Low vulnerability (10 of 100). 
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						Nutrients  (Ref. 
124155):  Calcium = 551 [191, 2,545] mg/100g; Iron = 2.65 [0.84, 6.47] mg/100g; Protein = 18.1 [16.2, 20.0] %; Omega3 = 0.107 [0.023, 0.536] g/100g; Selenium = 70.2 [11.6, 336.3] μg/100g; VitaminA = 46.1 [5.4, 386.0] μg/100g; Zinc = 6.36 [2.61, 12.64] mg/100g (wet weight);