Taeniamia zosterophora
Spot this small striped cardinalfish year-round in Koror & Malakal, Palau and Raja Ampat at 26-29C reef sites.
A small, roughly 6 cm fish with a silvery to pale gold body crossed by dark vertical bars, the boldest one running through the eye like a mask. The bars give the fish its common name, resembling a girdle wrapped around the body. Look for the large, dark eyes and the compact, deep-bodied shape typical of cardinalfish, usually seen hovering rather than swimming in open water.
Divers typically find small groups tucked into coral heads, ledges, or reef crevices during the day, sheltering close to structure rather than out on open sand. It tends to hold position with minimal fuss when divers approach, retreating slightly into cover rather than bolting, and becomes more active feeding on plankton after dark like most cardinalfish.
Cardinalfish in this family are mouth brooders, with males carrying developing eggs in their mouths until the young hatch, a trait shared across the group though not specifically documented for this species.
No clear seasonal pattern shows up in the sightings, and with a comfortable temperature range of 26.1 to 29.3C this fish is present on reefs year-round. Plan around good visibility and dive conditions in your chosen region rather than a particular month.
Reef neighbours a diver could mistake it for. Use the identification notes above to tell them apart.
Most reliably logged in Palau, especially around Koror & Malakal, where sightings are dense and frequent. Indonesia is the other stronghold, with regular reports from West Papua, Raja Ampat, and Bali, and it also turns up on reefs in Palawan in the Philippines and occasionally off Tufi in Papua New Guinea.
Mapping where Girdled Cardinalfish is logged…
Palau is the strongest spot, particularly Koror & Malakal, with further reliable sightings across West Papua, Raja Ampat, and Bali in Indonesia. It also appears on reefs in Palawan, Philippines.
There is no strong season in the sighting data, and warm reef temperatures year-round mean this fish can be seen on any month's dive in its range.
Look for a small, deep-bodied fish around 6 cm with dark vertical bars crossing a silvery body, including one running through the eye. It's usually seen hovering near coral cover rather than out in open water.
They stay small, reaching around 6 cm in length, typical for cardinalfish species on the reef.
No, they pose no threat to divers and simply retreat into reef cover if approached too closely.
Site and sighting data is aggregated from diver logs, iNaturalist and GBIF. For taxonomy and conservation status:
Iridescent Cardinalfish
1,784 sites
