EVERMANN'S CARDINALFISH
Apogon evermanni Jordan & Snyder, 1904
[Oddscale Cardinalfish]
     This uncommon cardinalfish is seen in the far recesses of caves, usually at night, almost always swimming upside down on the ceiling. Identify it by the bright white spot just behind the second dorsal fin. The overall color is pale to deep brownish red. A dark stripe runs from the snout through the eye to the gill cover. The head is oddly flattened and it has a forked tail fin with two rounded lobes. The name honors American ichthyologist Barton W. Evermann (1853-1932), who helped complete the first survey of Hawaiian fishes in 1903 and described as new several species in this book. Some ichthyologists call it the Oddscale Cardinalfish because the scales along the lateral line differ in size from those elsewhere on the body. To about 6 in. Indo-Pacific and Western Atlantic. Photo: Palea Point, O`ahu. 30 ft.