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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); ensiferus: Name from Latin 'ensifer' for sword-bearing; referring to the scimitar-shaped upper jaw (Ref. 128946).

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 1 m (Ref. 128653). Tropical

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Eastern Indian Ocean: India.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 3.9 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 128653)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 14; Vertebrae: 28. This species is distinguished by the following characters: with an elongate supramaxilla and maxilla with flexible lamina posteriorly, widest before end and sword-shaped in adult males, extending to rear margin of opercle (2.2 eye diameters behind posterior margin of orbit); D XI,14; A III,14; vertebrae 10 + 18; scale rows in horizontal series about 48-52; the lateral-line terminus ending below segmented rays 6-7. Colouration: spinous dorsal fin with large ocellus between spines 3-6; the inner lining of upper jaw and adjacent membranes with a single dark stripe; unpigmented area above and below esophageal opening (Ref. 128946).

It is found in reefs, on living and dead coral, sand and rubble (Ref. 128946).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

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)

Data deficient (DD) ; Date assessed: 18 July 2017

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |

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Estimates based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = No PD50 data [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).

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Opistognathus ensiferus Smith-Vaniz, 2016