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); robinsi: Named after Dr. C. Richard Robins in recognition of his many and varied contributions to ichthyology (Ref. 26893).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range ? - 46 m (Ref. 26893), usually ? - 20 m (Ref. 26893). Tropical
Western Central Atlantic: USA and the Bahamas.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 13.1 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 26893); 11.0 cm SL (female)
Dorsal spines (total): 10 - 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 18; Anal spines: 2 - 3; Anal soft rays: 16 - 18; Vertebrae: 29 - 31. Anterior nostril a short tube with simple cirrus on posterior rim; posterior end of maxilla of adult males produced as a thin flexible lamina that usually extends beyond posterior margin of opercle; spinous dorsal fin with black spot encircled by broad white ring; adult males with inner lining of maxilla and adjacent membranes with prominent black stripe (stripe usually absent or light brown and poorly developed in females; buccal pigmentation consisting of a large dark area widely surrounding esophageal opening, including medial area between upper pharyngeal tooth patches; caudal vertebrae typically 20 (Ref. 26893).
Continental species (Ref. 26893).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Smith-Vaniz, W.F., 1997. Five new species of jawfishes (Opistognathus: Opistognathidae) from the western Atlantic ocean. Bull. Mar. Sci. 60(3):1074-1128. (Ref. 26893)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.5 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).