Picture courtesy of: Alain Daoulas

Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Acropomatiformes (Order) > Epigonidae (Family) > Epigonus (Genus)

Palauan deepwater cardinalfish, 穴栖后竺鲷,

Description
Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-11 (usually: 10); Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 9; Pectoral fin rays: 16; Total pored lateral line scales: 48-50; Scales above lateral line: 4; Scales below lateral line: 10-11; Vertebrae: 10 + 15; Pyloric caeca: 7-8; Gill rakers: 25–27; Body depth: 21.4-25.0 % in SL; Pectoral fin length: 22.7-24.6 % in SL; Eye diameter: 44.4-47.5 % in Head Length; Upper jaw length: 40.2-42.5 % HL. Minute teeth on both jaws, no opercular spine. Max. length: 10.0 cm SL. Depth range: 20 - 200 m.

Etymology
Epigonus: from Greek, epi = over, in front + from Greek, gonio = angle. Referring to slightly curved back of Epigonus macrophthalmus (=telescopus), angled anteriorly (from first dorsal fin to head).
cavaticus: from Latin, cavaticus = living in a cave. Named for its sampling location.
Original description: Epigonus cavaticus Ida, Okamoto & Sakaue, 2007 - Type locality: Virgin Hole, southern fringing reef of Ngemelis Island, Palau, from a cave, depth 20 meters.

Distribution
Palau and New Caledonia (Puebo in a cave).

Biology
It is the smallest in size at sexual maturity among the congeners. It may be possible that the species may occur in deeper water and migrate to shallow water for spawning or feeding. Reported from a cave facing the drop off of a fringing reef.