Ring-tailed cardinalfish

Ostorhinchus aureus is a widespread fish species in the family Apogonidae found in the Red Sea and off East Africa to Papua New Guinea, north to Japan, and south to Australia.

Description

This fish is coppery-coloured with a broad blackish bar at the base of the tail, up to 14.5 cm in length. The upper jaw has a narrow blue streak, and a broad blackish stripe extends from the front of the snout to the eye. Easily confused with Ostorhinchus fleurieu, where the black tail bar does not narrow in the centre, but unlike this species, the stripe is also present in juveniles.

Habitat

Ostorhinchus aureus inhabits holes in rocks or under ledges in shallow waters. It is known to occur in mixed aggregates with Ostorhinchus apogonoides during summer and autumn, but form separate aggregates in winter and spring.