Pink Cardinalfish
Cardenal Morro Listado
(Apogon pacificus)

Pink Cardinalfish, Apogon pacificus: The Pink Cardinalfish is characterized by its red-pink coloration with yellow on the head, breast and body. It has a distinguishing black bar that runs from the snout through the eyes and a short black bar on the upper back below the origin of the second dorsal fin. The upper and lower portions of the very large eyes are yellow.

This fish species has exceeding long pectoral fins. The Pink Cardinalfish is similar to the Bar-Spot Cardinalfish, Apogon dovii (no dorsal stripe), and the Tail Spot Cardinalfish, Apogon retrosella (black tail spot). It grows to a length of 4 inches and is generally found around inshore rocky reefs and caves in the first 175 feet of the water column.

Distribution in Mexico fishing areas

The Pink Cardinalfish is found in all Mexican fishing waters with the exception that it is absent from the northeast portion of the Sea of Cortez and from around the Mexican oceanic islands.

The Pink Cardinalfish is a member of the Apogonidae Family, a very large family consisting of 250 global species from 23 genera. However only five species are found in Mexican fishing areas, all from the Apogon Genus. The Cardinalfishes, known in Mexico as cardenales, are small (less than 4 inches) laterally compressed, highly colored fish that have large eyes, large oblique mouths, two well separated dorsal fins and two anal fin spines. They reside in coral and rocky reefs, remaining secluded during the day emerging at night as nocturnal predators. They consume zooplankton and small invertebrates including crabs and shrimps.

Cardinalfishes are one of the rare marine fishes where oral brooding is found. The males incubate eggs in their mouths for several days before releasing hundreds of 2 to 4 mm larvae to the ocean which remain in a planktonic form for several weeks before developing into the juvenile stage.

Pink Cardinalfish picture

Pink Cardinalfish, Apogon pacificus: “Caught” while fishing with Capt. Pata in the panga Salomé, in 60 to 100-foot deep, 70-degree water, in April 2007, utilizing traditional bottom gear, 20 miles north of La Playita, San Jose del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Regurgitated by a monster from the deep. Size approximately 1.5 inches. Description and photo courtesy of John Snow.

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