Redbarred cardinals are small, silver fish with fine orange bars running vertically on their sides. They have large, black eyes and black spots or bar on their peduncles.
Their scientific name Taeniamiafucata literally means "ribbon fish that is iridescent", and it taken from both Latin and Greek.
They inhabit rocky and coral reefs in calm waters, typically near lagoons or mangroves. They form large congregations that shelter in caves and under ledges, coming out at night to hunt small invertebrates.
Although forming large groups, redbarred cardinals are solitary fish that only temporarily form pairs for courtship and spawning. They are mouthbrooders, and both males and females carry their eggs in their mouths until they hatch.
Redbarred cardinals are common around reefs throughout the Indo-Pacific, ranging from Samoa to South Africa.