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); nigripinnis: Name 'nigripinnis' from the Latin words 'niger' and 'pinna', meaning 'black,dark' and 'fin', in reference to the essentially black dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins that characterize the new species.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range ? - 16 m (Ref. 128653). Subtropical
Northwest Pacific: Japan.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 3.4 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 128653)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 13; Vertebrae: 28. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: rigid upper jaw with no flexible lamina posteriorly, extending about 1.0 eye diameters behind posterior margin of orbit; D XI, 13; A II, 13; vertebrae 10+18; body with about 39 or 40 scale rows in horizontal series; total gill rakers on first arch 26; dorsal fin uniformly peppered with fine melanophores including a dark spot between spines 3-6; in life, background of body tan, sides with 5 or 6 narrow white zig-zag bands, anal and pelvic fins uniformly peppered with fine melanophores and caudal fin yellow (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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