Opistognathus ctenion
Opistognathus ctenion Fujiwara, Motomura & Shinohara, 2023
Japanese whitespotted jawfish

Family:  Opistognathidae (Jawfishes)
Max. size:  3.06 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 35 - 37 m
Distribution:  Northwest Pacific: Japan.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-16; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 17-17; Vertebrae: 32-32. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: posterior end of upper jaw rigid, without flexible lamina; D XI, 16-18; anterior dorsal-fin spines very stout and straight, and their distal ends not transversely forked; A II, 17; gill rakers 6 or 7 + 13 or 14 = 20 or 21; vertebrae 10 + 22 = 32; longitudinal scale rows c. 40-50; lateral line terminating below 4th-6th soft ray of dorsal fin; 4th and 5th mandibular pore positions usually included 2 and 6-7 pores, respectively; absence of body scales anterior to vertical below 4th or 5th dorsal-fin spine; vomerine teeth 2; body reddish-brown with 3 or 4 longitudinal rows of c. 8-10 whitish blotches; cheek and opercle with 5 or 6 whitish blotches; snout, suborbital region, and both jaws without blotches or stripes; spinous dorsal fin with ocellus between 2nd to 5th spines; dorsal-fin soft-rayed portion with two reddish-orange stripes; pectoral-fin base with 1 or 2 whitish blotches; and caudal fin uniformly faint orange or reddish-yellow (Ref. 129318).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 17 September 2024 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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