Description

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Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9 - 10; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9. Eye very large, much greater than snout. Pectoral fin long, reaching at least origin of anal fin. Preopercular edge only slightly serrated, preopercular ridge smooth. Body and fins red or pink, back and upper surface of head dusky. Two or three dark spots, sometimes joined, along base of caudal fin.

Common Names

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Kuqrraku , Albanian , Albania

Mbreti i gjelave , Albanian , Albania

Peshku kardinal , Albanian , Albania

Samaket Damm , Arabic , Lebanon

Moll reial , Catalan , Spain

Grazangnola , Corsican , France

Pesciu rossu , Corsican , France

Matuličić , Croatian , Croatia

Middelhavskardinalfisk , Danish , Denmark

Cardinal fish , English , Azores Is.

Cardinal fish , English , UK

Cardinal fish , English , UK

Fucinata , English , Cuba

King of the mullets , English , Cuba

Mediterranean cardinalfish , English , UK

Vahemere kardinalahven , Estonian , Estonia

Kardinaaliahven , Finnish , Finland

Kpindjihouédjin , Fon GBE , Benin

Apogon , French , France

Apogon commun , French , France

Castagnole rouge , French , France

Coq , French , Global

Coq , French , France

Roi des rougets , French , France

Kardinalfisch , German , Germany

Meerbarbenkönig , German , Germany

Meerbarbenköning , German , Germany

Kardinalios , Greek , Greece

Kromídi tsiboúki , Greek , Greece

Kromidi tsibouki , Greek , Greece

Καρδινάλιος , Greek , Greece

Κρεμμύδι , Greek , Greece

Τσιμπούκι , Greek , Greece

'Mmuccapasticci , Italian , Italy

Castegneua russa , Italian , Italy

Cipudda russa , Italian , Italy

Guarracino russo 'e scoglio , Italian , Italy

Monaca russa , Italian , Italy

Monacedda russa , Italian , Italy

Monacella rossa , Italian , Italy

Munacedda russa , Italian , Italy

Pisci id russi , Italian , Italy

Re di trigghia , Italian , Italy

Ré di triglie , Italian , Italy

Re di triglie , Italian , Italy

Saracenu , Italian , Italy

Cawla hamra , Maltese , Malta

Sultan ic-cawl , Maltese , Malta

Sultan iccawl , Maltese , Malta

欧洲天竺鲷 , Mandarin Chinese , China

歐洲天竺鯛 , Mandarin Chinese , China

Apogon , Polish , Poland

Alcaraz , Portuguese , Portugal

Alcarraz , Portuguese , Cape Verde

Alcarraz , Portuguese , Portugal

Alfonsinho-da-costa , Portuguese , Madeira Is.

Folião , Portuguese , Azores Is.

Matulic , Serbian , Montenegro

Matulic , Serbian , Serbia

Morski kraljiček , Slovene , Slovenia

Alfoncino , Spanish , Cuba

Salmonete real , Spanish , Spain

Kardinal balığı , Turkish , Turkey

Taxonomic Hierarchy

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Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Kurtiformes

Family: Apogonidae

Genus: Apogon

Species: Apogon imberbis (Linnaeus, 1758)

Climate Zone

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Subtropical

Location

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Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea: Portugal to Morocco and the Azores. Elsewhere, southward to Gulf of Guinea.

Biology

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Occasionally forms schools; sometimes solitary. Inhabits muddy or rocky bottoms and caves (Ref. 4738). A sciaphilous species thriving in a number of shady/dark habitats and frequents marine caves, where it forms large schools (Ref. 118281). Feeds on small invertebrates and fishes (Ref. 4738). Observed to feed in the water column and just over the bottom, always at night; 93.4% of observed events occurring outside the caves, usually on rocky bottoms and Posidonia oceanica meadows, and to a lesser extent on pebbles (Ref. 118281). Oral brooding by males (Ref. 4738).

Habitat

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associated

Conservation Status

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Least Concern

Threat to Humans

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Harmless