Teleostei (teleosts) >
Ovalentaria/misc (Various families in series Ovalentaria) >
Opistognathidae (Jawfishes)
Etymology: Opistognathus: Greek, opisthe = behind + Greek, gnathos = jaw (Ref. 45335); to the very elongate upper jaw of the type species of the genus, Opistognathus nigromarginatus (Ref. 128653); adelus: Name from the Greek 'adelos' meaning dim or obscure; refers to the uncertain phylogenetic relationships of this jawfish.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; pelagic-neritic; depth range 5 - 65 m (Ref. 85161). Tropical
Western Indian Ocean: South Africa and northwest Madagascar.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 4.9 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 85161)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13 - 14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 13 - 14; Vertebrae: 27 - 28. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: upper jaw is broadly rounded with a large oval-shaped supramaxilla, and maxilla with a flexible lamina posteriorly, extending 1.0-1.2 eye diameters behind posterior margin of orbit; D XI,13-14; dark blotch on posterior angle of jaws, including inner lining of maxilla and adjacent membranes; no ocellus or large dark blotches on dorsal fin; no vomerine teeth (Ref. 85161). Expanded diagnostics: infraorbitals relatively robust, 2nd and 3rd infraorbitals with large sensory canal openings, 3rd infraorbital with no suborbital shelf; A III, 13-14; vertebrae 10+17-18; scale rows in horizontal series about 40-41; gill raker 9+15-16 in adults (except 6+14 in two juveniles, 21.0-23.0 mm SL); posterior angle of jaws and adjacent membranes with a dark blotch that is visible externally; spinous dorsal
fin with no anterior ocellus or dark blotches; pelvic and anal fins are dark, the latter with pale margin (Ref.128653).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Smith-Vaniz, W.F., 2023. Review of Indo-West Pacific jawfishes (Opistognathus: Opistognathidae), with descriptions of 18 new species. Zootaxa 5252(1):1-180. (Ref. 128653)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 23.9 - 27.5, mean 26.2 °C (based on 42 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
