Flame Cardinalfish

Second spine in first dorsal fin thick and tall, almost reaching end of second dorsal fin base, when folded down (Ref. 48635).Description: Characterized by the following: semi-transparent red color with red concentrated on head, edges of body, scale margins, vertebral column, fin spines/rays; greatest depth of body 2.9-3.3 in TL (Ref. 90102).

Mouthbrooders (Ref. 240). Distinct pairing during courtship and spawning (Ref. 205).

Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Analspines: 2; Analsoft rays: 8

Lives in caves and other projections in coral and rocky reefs (Ref. 9137).

Occurs in sheltered reef flats, lagoons, and seaward reefs (Ref. 1602). Usually only found at night to depths of 25 m (Ref. 48635). Solitary and secretive (Ref 90102).

分布於印度-太平洋區，西起東印度洋的聖誕島，東至土木土群島，北至台灣、日本，南至拉帕。台灣除了東部沿岸以外，大部分海域均有分布。

無任何經濟價值。

體長圓而側扁。頭大。吻長。眼大。主上頜骨達瞳孔中央下方；第一背鰭之第II硬棘極長。鱗不易脫落；尾叉狀。D. VII-I，9；A. II. 8；P. 12-13；Pred. S. 6-7；GR. 4-5，6-7+1+1-2；HL. 2.42-2.55；BD. 2.74-2.9 in SL；SnL. 4.09-4.22；ED. 3.16-3.67 in HL。浸泡福馬林後之尾鰭呈淡黃色；鱗色素為暗棕色，在近背鰭部份和尾鰭基底附近形成不規則而散亂的帶紋；各鰭白色。本種和/A. coccineus /和/ A. erythrinus/極相似。其特徵在於第一背鰭合併緊貼基底後，硬棘長度可達第二背鰭基底中央。

主要棲息於礁臺、潟湖區或面海之礁區，深度可達25公尺。白天停留在岩礁下方或洞穴內，晚上則外出覓食多毛類以及其它小型底棲無脊椎動物。

Occurs in sheltered reef flats, lagoons, and seaward reefs (Ref. 1602).