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).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 10 - 25 m (Ref. 129348). Tropical
Southwest Atlantic Ocean: Brazil.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 4.7 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 129348)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14; Anal spines: 2 - 3; Anal soft rays: 12 - 13; Vertebrae: 27. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: anterior nostril is a short tube with simple cirrus on posterior rim; maxilla rigid, not produced as a thin flexible lamina posteriorly; no supramaxilla; subopercle without a broad, fan-like flap; vomer no teeth; body with 43-47 oblique body scale rows in longitudinal series; vertebrae 10 + 17 = 27. Colouration: sides with two rows of pale spots, each approximately diameter of eye; body with six vertically irregular, evenly spaced bands, widest on mid-side, and two rows of six pale spots, each spot approximately diameter of eye; buccal area surrounding esophageal opening is pale. Also easily disinguished from its congeners by the divergence in the mitochondrial gene COI, as specimens form a monophyletic group that differs from its closest relative (O. whitehursti) by an
average of 11% (654 bp analyzed) (Ref. 129348).
This species is common in coastal regions, in depths associated with gravel-sand bottoms, near coral reefs and rocky areas. Feeds mainly on small benthic organisms near the bottom (e.g., small shrimps, crabs, and isopods) (Ref. 129348).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Smith-Vaniz, W.F,, L. Tornabene and R.M. Macieira, 2018. Review of Brazilian jawfishes of the genus Opistognathus with descriptions of two new species (Teleostei, Opistognathidae). ZooKeys No. 794: 95-133. (Ref. 129348)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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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).
