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  • body plain
    2-4 indistinct dark lines radiate from eye
    Apogon aurolineatus, Bridle cardinalfish
    bands of simple teeth, no canines
  • pale orange
    2 thin bars: end D base & end tail base
    Apogon binotatus, Barred cardinalfish
    bands of simple teeth, no canines
  • red; dark wedge under D2
    tail base: broad dark bar
    dark: front tips -D2 & A: C tips
    Apogon gouldi, Deepwater cardinalfish
    bands of simple teeth, no canines
  • behind D2 base: black spot then white spot
    D1: dark behind spine II
    D2 & A: front tips dark
    Apogon lachneri, Whitestar cardinalfish
    bands of simple teeth, no canines
  • red; 3 bars: under D1 & D2, rear tail base
    C rear edge dark
    preopercular membrane flap extends to operculum
    Apogon leptocaulus, Slendertail cardinalfish
    bands of simple teeth, no canines
  • red; eye: dark + 2 white lines, dark spot behind
    black spot under D2
    tail base: indistinct broad dark bar
    Apogon maculatus, the Flamefish
  • red; back with dark dots
    large dark dots: cheek
    tail base: long dark bar
    Apogon mosavi, Dwarf cardinalfish
    fins clear
    bands of simple teeth, no canines
  • 2 widely separate bars - triangular under D2, wide on tail base
    bases D & A: red lines
    Apogon phenax, Mimic cardinalfish
  • 2 close dark bars: straight under D2, v wide on tail base
    white bar behind each dark bar
    NARROW between dark bars
    Apogon pillionatus, Broadsaddle cardinalfish
  • pink to silvery
    2 bars: under rear D2, end tail base, 2nd wider
    fins clear
    Apogon planifrons, Pale cardinalfish
  • red; eye: dark + 2 white lines, dark spot behind
    black spot under D2
    tail base: well defined black spot/teardrop
    tips of D2, A & C: black
    Apogon pseudomaculatus, Twospot cardinalfish
  • dusky bronze, fins yellowish
    oblique dark triangle under eye
    tail base: oval blotch
    Apogon quadrisquamatus, Sawcheek cardinalfish
    bands of simple teeth, no canines
  • translucent bronze; fins yellow
    ~10 thin dark stripes
    end tail base: diffuse dark spot
    Apogon robbyi, Striped cardinalfish
    bands of simple teeth, no canines
  • 2 dark bars: straight under D2, wide - tail base
    WIDE between dark bars
    D2 & A base, upper & lower C borders: red line
    Apogon robinsi, Broadsaddle cardinalfish, Roughlip cardinalfish
    no canines, upper teeth outside jaw
  • pink
    long black bar under end D2
    end tail base: broad dark bar with black edges
    Apogon townsendi, Belted cardinalfish
    both jaws: bands of simple teeth, no canines
    lower gill rakers 17
    A 8
    scales: LL not enlarged,
    center nape: 3-8, around tail base 12
  • pelvics short, not past front 3rd A
    Astrapogon alutus, Bronze cardinalfish
    pectoral 14
  • body deep, snout short, profile over eye convex
    pelvics reach to/past center A base
    rear edges D2 & A, & C tips: clear/whitish
    Astrapogon puncticulatus, Blackfin cardinalfish
    gill rakers 2+12-14
    pectoral 16
  • elongate, long snout, profile over eye straight
    pelvics reach rear 1/3 A base
    Astrapogon stellatus, the Conchfish
    gill rakers 1+10-11
    pectoral 15
  • pale; dark stripe: snout through eye
    scales smooth/weakly rough
    Paroncheilus affinis, Bigtooth cardinalfish
    both jaws: 1 row teeth, + canines
    lower jaw strongly projects
    A 9
  • snout blunt, not yellow
    bases D2 & A: wide, strong dark stripe
    bar (front irregular) across entire tail base
    Phaeoptyx conklini, Freckled cardinalfish
    each scale: multiple dots, evenly spaced
  • snout round, yellowish
    bases D2 & A: no dark stripe
    bar (front straight) across entire tail base
    Phaeoptyx pigmentaria, Dusky cardinalfish
    enlarged teeth
    body dots evenly spaced, 1 per scale
  • snout round, yellowish
    bases D2 & A: thin, faint stripe
    tail base: short dark oval
    Phaeoptyx xenus, Sponge cardinalfish
    body: multiple dots per scale
  • black stripe: snout through eye to over pectoral base
    end D base: black spot before white spot
    Zapogon evermanni, Oddscale cardinalfish
    stomach and intestine black
    LL scales > body scales