Cardinalfish

Trunk rhombic, mid body below the 1st dorsal base high. Nape moderately concave, snout tip rounded. Maxillary reaching rear border of eye. A distinct black spot just in front of anal base about equal to eye diameter in width.

Mouthbrooders (Ref. 240). Distinct pairing during courtship and spawning (Ref. 205).

Amphidromous. Refers to fishes that regularly migrate between freshwater and the sea (in both directions), but not for the purpose of breeding, as in anadromous and catadromous species. Sub-division of diadromous. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.Characteristic elements in amphidromy are: reproduction in fresh water, passage to sea by newly hatched larvae, a period of feeding and growing at sea usually a few months long, return to fresh water of well-grown juveniles, a further period of feeding and growing in fresh water, followed by reproduction there (Ref. 82692).

Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Analspines: 2; Analsoft rays: 8

Adults inhabit mangrove estuaries, tidal creeks and lower reaches of freshwater streams (Ref. 44894). Usually found in brackish water or freshwater of river mouths. Nocturnal (Ref. 7300),

Adults inhabit mangrove estuaries, tidal creeks and lower reaches of freshwater streams (Ref. 44894). Usually found in brackish water or freshwater of river mouths. Nocturnal (Ref. 7300), euryhaline species (Ref. 59012).

分布於印度-西太平洋區，西起印尼，東至巴布新幾內亞，北至台灣、日本。台灣屏東大鵬灣內是目前僅知唯一在台灣的產地。

通常以下雜魚處理，用作魚飼料，有時會曬成小魚乾自家食用，並無任何經濟價值。

體略成菱形，第一背鰭基為最高點。在天竺鯛科魚類是唯一頭部上線呈凹形者。本種魚具大的主上頜骨，末端達眼後緣而被獨立為天竺鯛屬中之/Yarica/亞屬。頭大。吻長。眼大。D. VI-I，9；A. II，8；P. 14；Ll. 24-25；Pred.s. 3；GR. 1-3+1+5-6。體呈黃銅色，體背暗；尾柄上具一大眼斑，其寬約同大於眼徑。

主要棲息於半淡鹹水或淡水之潟湖及河口域。夜行性，以多毛類或其它底棲無脊椎動物為食。