Species: Apogon leptocaulus, Slendertail Cardinalfish
C rear edge dark
preopercular membrane flap extends to operculum

Apogon leptocaulus Gilbert, 1972
Slendertail Cardinalfish
Body oblong, compressed; head large, snout short; eye large; moderately large oblique mouth that opens at the front; top jaw wide, partly concealed when mouth is closed, scaleless; jaws with bands of small teeth, no canines; front and sides of roof of mouth with a band of small teeth; preopercle serrated, lower membranous flap extends beyond edge of preoperculum; 5-6 + 15-16 gill rakers; dorsal fin VI + I, 9; anal fin II, 8; inner pelvic ray mostly not attached to body; pectoral 12; tail fin slightly concave; body scales rough; 3-8 scales on center of nape before dorsal fin; lateral line scales not enlarged; lateral line complete, extends onto base of tail fin.
Head and body red; 3 thick indistinct dark bars or saddles on body – 1 under each dorsal fin and one across the rear of the tail base; rear edge of tail fin dark.
Reaches 6 cm.
Reefs.
Depth: 18-158 m.
The Bahamas to the SW Caribbean.

High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Bottom + water column
- Mid Water
- Near Bottom
- Habitat
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- Reef only
- Rocks
- Water column
- Corals
- Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Reef Associated
- Feeding Group
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- Data
- Planktivore
- Diet
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- Data
- Zooplankton
- Egg Type
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- Data
- Pelagic
- Pelagic larva
- Global Endemism
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- All species
- Greater Caribbean endemic
- West Atlantic Endemic
- Regional Endemism
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- Continent
- Continent + Island (s)
- GC endemic
- Island (s)
- All species
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
- Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
- Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
- IUCN Red List
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- Least concern
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 6
- Depth Range Min
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- 18
- Depth Range Max
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- 158