Teleostei (teleosts) >
Acropomatiformes (Oceanic basses) >
Epigonidae (Deepwater cardinalfishes)
Etymology: Epigonus: Greek, epi = over, in front + Greek, gonio = angle (Ref. 45335); bispinosus: Name from Latin 'bispinosus' meaning two spines, referring to the spines found on the symphysis of the lower jaw.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 250 - 455 m (Ref. 132291). Tropical
Southwest Indian Ocean: South Africa and off northern Madagascar.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 16.6 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 132291)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 9; Vertebrae: 25. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: D VII-I,10; pectoral-fin rays 15-16; total gill rakers 31-33; vertebrae 10 + 15; pyloric caeca 9-11; pored la teral-line scales 46-50 + 4-5; scales are weakly ctenoid; scales below lateral line 11; with pungent opercular spine; no maxillary mustache-like process; with ribs on last abdominal vertebra; with two small spines on symphysis of lower jaw (Ref. 132291).
Cross section: compressed.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Okamoto, M. and O. Gon, 2018. A review of the deepwater cardinalfish genus Epigonus (Perciformes: Epigonidae) of the Western Indian Ocean, with description of two new species. Zootaxa 4382(2):261-291. (Ref. 132291)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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