Actinopterygii (Class) > Perciformes (Order) > Percoidei (Suborder) > Apogonidae (Family) > Apogoninae (Subfamily) > Zapogon (Genus)

Cave cardinalfish, Cave cardinal, Evermann's cardinalfish, Oddscale cardinalfish, Tomari hiiro tenjikudai, トマリヒイロテンジクダイ, 埃氏天竺鯛,

Synonymes
Amia evermanni (Jordan & Snyder, 1904)
Apogon anisolepis (Böhlke & Randall, 1968)
Apogon evermanni (Jordan & Snyder, 1904)

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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 8. Body elongate. Lateral-line scales large, well spaced; Small ctenoid scales. Max. length: 15.0 cm TL Depth range: 2 - 250 m.

Color
Body yellow or reddish brown. Black stripe through eye. Scales of lateral line large and well spaced; Black spot at base of last dorsal fin rays and white spot on dorsal midline just behind second dorsal fin.

Etymology
Zapogon: from Greek, za = very + from Greek, a = without + from Greek, pogon = chin, beard. Referring to its “very similar” appearance to Apogon.
evermanni: in honor of American ichthyologist Barton Warren Evermann (1853-1932), United States Bureau of Fisheries.
Original description: Apogon evermanni Jordan & Snyder, 1904 - Type locality: Honolulu market, Oahu Island, Hawaiian Islands.

Distribution
Circumglobal in tropical and subtropical seas.

Biology
Usually shelters deep inside caves and under crevices on deep outer reefs during the day. Benthopelagic. Nocturnal species. Swims upside-down on ceilings. Solitary or in pairs. Mouthbrooders. Distinct pairing during courtship and spawning. Exhibits the black gut phenomenon. In nocturnal predators, it appears to serve to conceal bioluminiscent prey in the stomach cavity.