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); eximius: Name from Latin 'eximius' meaning select, distinguished, uncommon, it was incorrectly
stated in the original description to mean “beautiful,” but certainly it is an appropriate adjective for this species..
More on author: Ogilby.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 6 - 35 m (Ref. 128653). Tropical
Western Pacific: Australia.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 28.5 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: 12; Vertebrae: 26. This species is distinguished by the following characters: with a rigid upper jaw lacking flexible lamina posteriorly, extending about 0.7 to 0.9 eye diameters behind posterior margin of orbit; infraorbitals are very slender and tubular, the third infraorbital very elongate with large suborbital shelf; D XI,13; A II,12; vertebrae 10+16; scales on the belly minute and distinctly embedded; body with about 80-99 scale rows in horizontal series; vomerine teeth 1-3. Colouration: opercle with a conspicuous dark spot; color of sides and anal blue with large yellow spots (Ref. 128653).
Occur over sand bottom of the continental shelf (Ref. 75154). Mouthbrooders (Ref. 240). Eggs which are clumped together in a sticky egg ball inside the parent's mouth are sometimes released in a burrow during brief feeding periods (Ref. 40511).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Eggs which are clumped together in a sticky egg ball get incubated inside the parent's mouth (Ref. 40511).
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)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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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): 3.7 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (25 of 100).
