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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); crassus: Name from the Latin 'crassus' (thick, fat or stout), referring to the general appearance of this species..
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; pelagic-neritic; depth range 35 - 35 m (Ref. 85161). Tropical
Western Indian Ocean: Maldive Islands.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 3.6 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 85161)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 10; Vertebrae: 26. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: rigid maxilla with no flexible lamina posteriorly; D XI,11; A II,10; tips of dorsal-fin spines conspicuously pale; dorsum with row of 5 dark blotches, some of which extend distinctly onto dorsal fin; last blotch on dorsal fin much narrower than anterior blotches (Ref. 85161).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | 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)
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): 3.2 ±0.5 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).