FaunaHub
ENEndangeredPartial review

Banggai Cardinalfish

Pterapogon kauderni

Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni), a silver fish with black bars and white spots.

Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni).

Image: domdomegg, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

At a glance

IUCN category
EN · Endangered
Animal group
Fish
Population trend
Decreasing
Last verified

Conservation overview

The Banggai cardinalfish is a striking black-and-silver reef fish with a very small natural range. It is assessed as Endangered.

Males brood the eggs and young in their mouths.

Range & habitat

A small area around the Banggai Islands of Indonesia.

Major threats

Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.

  • Collection for the aquarium trade
  • A tiny range
  • Habitat damage

Why it matters

A beautiful reef fish heavily collected for aquariums from a tiny range, the Banggai cardinalfish is a flagship for sustainable aquarium-trade practices.

Gallery

A Banggai cardinalfish among sea anemone.

Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni).

Image: Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Sources

Sources for Banggai Cardinalfish

Frequently Asked Questions

How do Banggai cardinalfish raise their young?
Males are mouthbrooders: they hold the eggs and then the tiny young in their mouths until the juveniles are ready to fend for themselves.
Why is the Banggai cardinalfish Endangered?
Published assessments cite heavy collection for the aquarium trade from a very small natural range, plus habitat damage. See the IUCN Red List.

Last updated: