Opistognathus castelnaui Bleeker, 1860
Castelnau's jawfish
Opistognathus castelnaui
photo by Allen, G.R.

Family:  Opistognathidae (Jawfishes)
Max. size:  25 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 20 - 100 m
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: eastern Australia to the Ryukyus, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-14; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 14-14; Vertebrae: 28-28. This species is distinguished by the following characters: elongated supramaxilla and posterior end of maxilla produced as a thin flexible lamina; upper jaw's inner lining and adjacent membranes with one or two conspicuous black stripes; dorsal half of dorsal fin usually dark except for narrow pale margin, remainder of fin pale and often with 8 or 9 evenly spaced dark blotches that extend onto basal fourth to third of fin and slightly onto dorsum; D XI,14; body with about 90-11 0 oblique scale rows; total gill rakers 28-35 (Ref. 81517).
Biology:  Inhabits open sand and rubble substrates in about 20-25 meters (Ref. 48637). May be found in depths greater than 100 m (Ref. 559). Mouthbrooders (Ref. 240).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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