Cheilodipterus zonatus Smith & Radcliffe, 1912
Yellowbelly cardinalfish
Dangat
Cheilodipterus zonatus
photo by Allen, G.R.

Family:  Apogonidae (Cardinalfishes), subfamily: Apogoninae
Max. size:  8 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 2 - 25 m
Distribution:  Western Pacific: Philippines, Malaysia, and the Solomon Islands. Occurrence in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Great Barrier Reef (Ref. 9710) needs confirmation.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 7-7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 8-8. Body with midlateral black stripe, as wide as the pupil, tapers to a point on base of middle caudal-fin rays; body and head below it generally yellow; on snout and behind pectoral fin, midlateral stripe is bordered by a narrow yellowish white zone; above mid-lateral stripe body and head white, but top of head with a yellow tinge; dorsal stripe dark gray, separated from dorsal fins by a narrow white zone; a median dark gray stripe may be present from interorbital area to first dorsal-fin origin; fins pale. Developed gill rakers on hypobranchial 0-1; on ceratobranchial 8 (Ref. 8525). Description: Greatest depth of body 3.8-4.3 in SL (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Inhabits protected habitats, where conditions are similar to those of lagoons. Also found on coastal reefs (Ref. 9710). Usually seen solitary, occasionally in pairs. Mimics the sabre-toothed blenny Meiacanthus vittatus. Active during day (Ref 90102).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 24 February 2022 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:  Type locality, south end of Rita I., Ulugan Bay, Palawan, USNM 70253 (holotype of C. zonatus, 6.6 cm SL); taken with the use of dynamite (Ref. 11356). Also collected from Endeavor Strait, NW coast of Palawan (Ref. 11356); Meara I. (Ref. 8525); Calamianes Islands (Ref. 90102). Also Ref. 280, 2334, 48613.


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.