Zapogon evermanni (Jordan & Snyder, 1904)

Pinault, Mathieu, Wickel, Julien, Mulochau, Thierry, Nicet, Jean-Benoît & Fricke, Ronald, 2018, First record of five fish species from Réunion Island observed during the inventory of the Marine Natural Zones of Interest for Ecology, Flora and Fauna (ZNIEFF), Cybium 42 (4), pp. 386-390 : 388-389

Zapogon evermanni ( Jordan and Snyder, 1904)

ZNIEFF station: Tombant Sec Jaune, Latitude: 21°12’20.63”S, Longitude: 55°16’50.92”E, Depth: 30 m, Date: 29 November 2017, Time: 9:30.

Evermann’s cardinalfish has been observed in a loose group of about ten individuals ( Fig. 6), at the bottom of a narrow cave about 10 m long, located about 30 m deep. These individuals, probably dazzled by the beam of the diving lighthouse, were almost motionless. The observation station, known for its many caves and overhangs, was located on the littoral of Saint-Leu, southwest of the island.

The characteristic morphology of this species confirms its identification ( Tab. V). The photographed specimens had a reddishbrown body, relatively elongated for cardinalfish. A black band barred the eye laterally. A black spot was visible at the base of the last rays of the dorsal fin and a white spot was visible on the dorsal midline just behind the second dorsal fin. The caudal fin was indented.