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); hyalinus: Name hyalinus from the Greek word meaning 'of glass, transparent', in reference to the unpigmented caudal and anal fins of the new species.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 20 - 70 m (Ref. 128653). Tropical
Indo-West Pacific: Andaman Is, Philippines, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 3.8 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 128653)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 11; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 10. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: rigid upper jaw lacking flexible lamina posteriorly, extending about 0.7-1.0 eye diameters behind posterior margin of orbit; infraorbitals all trough-like, open laterally; absence of suborbital shelf on 3rd infraorbital; D XI, 10-11; A II, 10; vertebrae 10+15-17, typically 16; posterior infraorbital pore positions all or mostly occupied by single pores; preopercular pore positions occupied by single pores; total gill rakers 33-39; spinous dorsal fin with a wide submarginal dusky stripe, and interradial membranes between spines 1-4 or 5 either with or without a dark blotch of variable size and intensity; other fins unpigmented. (Ref. 128653).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated; Cross section: compressed.
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 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
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