Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
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); asper: Name from Greek 'asper' for rough, referring to the irregular row of scales above the lateral line anteriorly in the holotype.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range ? - 95 m (Ref. 128653). Tropical
Eastern Indian Ocean: Australia.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 5.0 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 12; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 10; Vertebrae: 26. This species is distinguished by the following characters: rigid upper jaw lacking flexible lamina posteriorly and extending about 0.7 eye diameters behind posterior margin of orbit; infraorbitals are relatively slender and tubular, third infraorbital with short posterolateral projecting arm ending with large sensory canal opening, no suborbital shelf; D XI,11-12; A II,10; vertebrae 10+16; total gill rakers 32-34; tips of the dorsal-fin spines with conspicuous pale tabs; dorsum with a row of 5 dark blotches that extend distinctly onto the dorsal fin; the last blotch on dorsal fin at least as wide as anterior blotches; scale rows on the body appear to form series of narrow dark stripes (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
Fisheries: bycatch
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = No PD50 data [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).
