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; depth range 20 - 100 m
 Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: widespread including the Ryukyu Islands, South China Sea and Indonesia.
 Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-14; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 14-14. 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  (Ref. 96402)
 Threat to humans:  harmless
 Country info:   
 

 Entered by: Luna, Susan M. - 31.05.94
 Modified by: OrtaƱez, Auda Kareen - 21.11.08
 Checked by: Smith-Vaniz, William F. - 06.10.95

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