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); triops: Name 'triops from the Greek word 'tri' and 'ops', meaning 'three' and 'eyes', in reference to the 'third eye' formed by the characteristic ocellated spot in the spinous dorsal fin of the new species. A noun in apposition.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 12 - 32 m (Ref. 128653). Tropical
Western Central Pacific: Vanuatu and Tonga.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 4.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 128653)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 17 - 18; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 17; Vertebrae: 22 - 23. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: rigid upper jaw with no flexible lamina posteriorly, extending 0.6-0.7 eye diameters behind posterior margin of orbit; infraorbitals moderately slender, 2nd and 3rd infraorbitals relatively large, with large sensory canal openings, 3rd infraorbital with moderate suborbital shelf; D XI, 17 or 18; A II, 17; vertebrae 10+22 or 23; scale rows in horizontal series about 45-49, scales absent anterolaterally forward of verticals from segmented dorsal-fin rays 4-5; vomerine teeth 2 or 3; spinous dorsal fin with an ocellus between spines 2-7 (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
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources