Zoramia gilberti

Zoramia gilberti
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Division: Teleostei
Order: Gobiiformes
Family: Apogonidae
Genus: Zoramia
Species:
Z. gilberti
Binomial name
Zoramia gilberti
Synonyms
  • Amia gilberti D. S. Jordan & Seale, 1905
  • Apogon gilberti (D. S. Jordan & Seale, 1905)

Zoramia gilberti, Gilbert's cardinalfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Apogonidae, the cardinalfishes. This cardinalfish is found in the Western Pacific Ocean.

Taxonomy

Zoramia gilberti was first formally described as Amia gilberti in 1905 by the American ichthyologists David Starr Jordan and Alvin Seale with its type locality given as Negros in the Philippines. This species is now classified in the genus Zoramia which was described by David Starr Jordan in 1917 with Apogon graeffii designated as its type species, as well as being the type species by monotypy. The genus Zoramia is placed, along with Fibramia, in the tribe Zoramiini within the subfamily Apogoninae. The family Apogonidae is in the suborder Apogonoidei in the order Gobiiformes.

Etymology

Zoramia gilberti is classified in the genus Zoramia, the etymology of the name of this genus was not explained by Jordan but it may be that the prefix zor- is derived from zoros, which means "sheer" and may be a reference to the near transparent body of these fishes. The second part of the amia is a non binomial name originally coined by Laurens Theodorus Gronovius for the genus Apogon which is now used as a common suffix for genus names within the cardinalfish family. The specific name, gilberti, honours the American ichthyologist Charles Henry Gilbert, Jordan's colleague at Stanford University, who gave Jordan "material assistance in the comparison of specimens”.

Description

Zoramia gilberti has a short, deep body with a compressed cross section and it reaches a maximum total length of 5.5 cm (2.2 in). The first dorsal fin has 6 spines, the second has a single spine and 9 soft rays while the anal fin has 2 spines and 8 soft rays. This species is translucent pale brown with blue spots on the head and front part of the body with a silvery bluish belly, and a dusky caudal peduncle which has a small black spot.

Distribution and habitat

Zoramia gilberti is found in the Western Pacific Ocean from Sabah, Malaysia through eastern Indonesia to the Solomon Islands, north to the Philippines, south to Scott and Seringapatam Reefs off northwestern Australia, including Palau and Yap. This cardinalfish is encountered in pairs or small shoals on rich coral crests in sheltered lagoons within reefs.

References

  1. 1 2 Allen, G.R.; Myers, R.F.; Santos, M.; et al. (2022). "Zoramia gilberti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022 e.T193387A2233127. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-2.RLTS.T193387A2233127.en. Retrieved 12 November 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Zoramia". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 12 November 2026.
  3. ↑ Fricke, Ron; Eschmeyer, William N. & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Apogoninae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 12 November 2026.
  4. ↑ Mabuchi, K.; T. H. Fraser; H. Song; Y. Azuma & M. Nishida (2014). "Revision of the systematics of the cardinalfishes (Percomorpha: Apogonidae) based on molecular analyses and comparative reevaluation of morphological characters". Zootaxa. 3846 (2): 151–203. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3846.2.1.
  5. ↑ "Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes Classification". California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 12 November 2026.
  6. ↑ Christopher Scharpf (19 October 2026). "Family APOGONIDAE Günther 1859 (Cardinalfishes)". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf. Retrieved 12 November 2026.
  7. ↑ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Zoramia gilberti". FishBase. June 2026 version.
  8. ↑ Thomas H. Fraser; Ofer Gon; and Manqhai Kraai (2022). "FAMILY APOGONIDAE Cardinalfishes". In Phillip C Heemstra; Elaine Heemstra; David A Ebert; Wouter Holleman; and John E Randall (eds.). COASTAL FISHES OF THE WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN (PDF). Vol. 4. South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. pp. 167–227.
  9. ↑ Bray, D.J. (2017). "Zoramia gilberti". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 12 November 2026.