Mediterranean invasive species factsheet www.iucn-medmis.org
Species report Apogonichthyoides pharaonis (Pharaoh cardinalfish) AFFILIATION FISHES
SCIENTIFIC NAME AND COMMON NAME REPORTS Apogonichthyoides pharaonis 3
Remarks on Systematic The systematics of the Apogonidae is rather Determination complex and accurate identification of the different species has to be done by a specialist in According to Gon and Randall (2003), the this group. These difficulties have resulted in species formerly known in the Mediterranean as several misidentifications in the literature. Apogon nigripinnis should be referred to as Consequently, all field observations of Apogonichthyoides pharaonis (common synonym Apogonidae individuals must be checked by a Apogon pharaonis); Apogonichthyoides specialist in this group to identify the species. nigripinnis is restricted to the eastern Indian and western Pacific Oceans. According to FishBase only A. nigripinnis migrated to the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal, and A. pharaonis is not regarded as a migrant through the Suez Canal. However, we follow Zenetos et al. (2010) in considering only A. pharaonis to be a non-indigenous species in the Mediterranean.
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first bar. The leading edge of the first dorsal fin is dark and that of the pelvic fins is white.
Identification and Habitat
The adults occur inshore and on deep offshore reefs. It is a nocturnal species, like Apogon imberbis. During the day it is found among seagrasses or close to or inside small caves.
Reproduction
The males brood the eggs in their mouths until the young are free-swimming.
Other species that look similar
Key Identifying Features
The body is oblong and compressed, up to 10 cm in length (commonly 7–8 cm). Two distinct dorsal fins are present; in the first dorsal fin (8 spines) the two first spines are very short and the third is the longest. The second dorsal fin (1 spine, 8–9 soft rays) lies directly above the anal fin (2 spines, 7–8 soft rays). The tail fin is square and the pelvic fins (1 spine, 5 soft rays) begin below the base of the pectoral fins (15–16 soft rays).
The mouth is large and oblique with teeth present in the jaws and on the vomer (a median bone in the roof of the mouth) and palatine bones (also in the roof of the mouth). The eye is large and the pre-operculum (area just anterior to the gill) has a smooth ridge and a serrated edge. A single spine projecting from the operculum is present at the level of centre of eye.
The body is crossed by three vertical black bars on a grey-brown background, one below each dorsal fin and the last on the narrowest part of Similar Species the fish’s body where the tail fin is attached. There are now several Apogonidae species in the A characteristic black ‘eye-spot’ encircled by a Mediterranean, four of them non-indigenous. yellow ring is present on the flank within the
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Apogon imberbis, the cardinal fish, is the only Other Pempheridae species such as Pempheris native species. It is easy to identify by its red vanicolensis inhabit caves during the day. There colour and its 6 spines in the first dorsal fin. is no documented evidence of competition between the Pharaoh cardinalfish A. pharaonis The other cardinal species that have entered and P. vanicolensis or with the native species from the Red Sea are Apogon queketti, the Apogon imberbis. However, daily migration spotfin cardinal, recorded off Turkey in the movements of the Pharaoh cardinalfish out of the Levantine basin; Apogon smithi, Smith's cave to forage at night and back in the morning cardinalfish, recorded off Israel; Ostorhinchus may increase the transfer of organic matter into fasciatus, the broadbanded cardinalfish the cave and thereby have an impact on the (reported as Apogon fasciatus) off Israel and caveassociated invertebrate fauna. Turkey and Cheilodipterus novemstriatus, the twospot cardinalfish recorded off Israel and Economic Impacts Lebanon. This species has been reared in captivity but is of These Apogonidae species do not have the low commercial value, except as ornamental fish characteristic black ‘eye-spot’ on the body, and species. The economic impact of its invasion is the body colour is tan to brown, with a pinkish unknown. tinge. O. fasciatus is clearly distinguished from the other Apogon species by a blackish mid-lateral stripe which extends to the end of the Management Options tail fin. These include a) early eradication of new History and Route of populations by MPA technicians through hand Introduction fishing, and b) maintenance of healthy and abundant assemblages of top predators to encourage natural control through predation. Due to taxonomic confusion and misidentification, the history of this cardinalfish’s introduction and its pathways are Further Reading unclear. It is native from the Suez region of the Red Sea to South Africa. In the Mediterranean Zenetos A. et al. 2010. Alien species in the the Pharaoh cardinalfish was first recorded in Mediterranean Sea by 2010. A contribution to Palestine in 1947, misidentified as Apogon the application of European Union’s Marine taeniatus; it has subsequently been recorded in Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Part I. Cyprus and Turkey. The species is now common Spatial distribution. Mediterranean Marine from the southern coast of Israel to the Science 11 (2): 381–493. Levantine Sea. Gon O. and Randall J.E., 2003. A review of the cardinalfishes (Perciformes: Apogonidae) of the Ecological Impacts Red Sea, Smithiana Bulletin, Vol. 1-48 pp.
The lack of nocturnal competitors might facilitate the population growth and spread of the non-indigenous species of Apogonidae, such as the bullseye, in the Mediterranean. The Apogonidae family constitutes the second largest species group by numbers in the sea around Turkey.
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Legend
Algae Angiosperm Cnidarians Centre for Mediterranean Molluscs Crustaceans Ascidians Cooperation Combjellies / Fishes Ctenophores
More Information: Guide and reports platform for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the Mediterranean. www.iucn-medmis.org
2013-2021 © IUCN Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation. More info: www.iucn-medmis.org Pag. 4/5 Mediterranean invasive species factsheet www.iucn-medmis.org
MPAs, Country Date Density Measure
Datca-Bozburun, Turkey Before 2013 -- --
-- 08/09/2014 -- --
-- 20/09/2014 -- --
How to cite this tab: Apogonichthyoides pharaonis - Invasive Alien Species Fact Sheet for Mediterranean Network of MPAs. From Online Database MedMIS (IUCN Center for Mediterranean Cooperation, Download date 29/09/2021.
More information about this species from: Otero, M., Cebrian, E., Francour, P., Galil, B., Savini, D. 2013. Monitoring Marine Invasive Species in Mediterranean Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): A strategy and practical guide for managers. Malaga, Spain: IUCN. 136 pages www.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/2013-008-Es.pdf .
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