Opistognathus elizabethensis, Elizabeth reef jawfish

Opistognathus elizabethensis Smith-Vaniz, 2004

Elizabeth reef jawfish
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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); elizabethensis: Named for its type locality, Elizabeth Reef (Australia).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; demersal; depth range 0 - 18 m (Ref. 76827). Subtropical

Distribution Territories | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Southwest Pacific: Australia.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 7.1 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 76827)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 18 - 19; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 17 - 19; Vertebrae: 33. This species possess the following characters: with a rigid upper jaw lacking flexible lamina posteriorly, extending about 0.6-0.9 eye diameters behind posterior margin of orbit; infraorbitals are moderately wide, the third infraorbital largest with large sensory canal openings, no suborbital shelf; D XI,18-19; A II,17-19; vertebrae 10 + 23; scale rows in horizontal series about 47-51; no scales anterolaterally forward of verticals from 6th or 7th dorsal-fin spine; vomerine teeth 2 or 3. Colouration: an oblong black spot (partially encircled by white border) between spines 3-6 of dorsal fin, and this extends slightly onto dorsum; when alive, yellowish-brown with pale blue markings in dorsal fin; when preserved, head and body uniformly tan, except largest specimen with pair of pale basicaudal spots (Ref. 76827, 128653).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated; Cross section: compressed.

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Benthic species which occurs inshore; inhabits coral reef (Ref. 75154).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

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 2025-2)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 17 September 2024

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

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Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | OneZoom | Open Tree of Life | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | TreeBase | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search |