Jawfish - Opistognathidae
JAWFISH - OPISTOGNATHIDAE There are around seventy different jawfish. The biggest is around fifty centimeters long. Jawfish live in burrows which they make in open areas with sand or rubble. They use small stones and shells on the inside to make sure the burrow does not collapse. They use their powerful jaws to bring up the bigger stones and use them to build a small wall around the burrow opening. Most of the time they sit in their burrow observing the area with only the head exposed. Jawfish can live alone, in pairs or small groups, and feed on benthic and planktonic invertebrates. We haven’t any information about their reproduction cycle, but like with cardinalfish, it is the male that keeps the eggs in his mouth until they hatch. Length: 12 cm. Distribution: Borneo, Indonesia and Philippines. White body with eight to ten pale orange to yellow bars. White to yellow dorsal, anal and tail fins Brown head, except the cheeks. Bright yellow to orange part on upper iris. Makes it’s burrow in coral rubble areas close to reefs, coastal reefs, from -5 to -30 m. Length: 10 cm. Distribution: from Indonesia to Philippines and Vanuatu. Head darker than body, from chestnut to gold-yellow. Orange margin on upper-lip, blueish area on lower jaw and blueish dorsal- and pelvic fins. Lives solitary and inhabits rock-lined burrows on sand and rubble bottoms. Length: 10 cm. Distribution: from the Andaman Sea to Taiwan and Waigeo Is. in Indonesia. White to pinkish body with brown mottled pattern. Large brown mid-lateral blotches on sides. Iris with large pale area in top part and blotched area in bottom part. Dorsal fin with white marks on spines. Lives solitary on sand and rubble bottoms, inhabits rock-lined burrows.
Jawfish_info.

Jawfish_info.

Opistognathus randalli - Gold-specks jawfish

Opistognathus randalli - Gold-specks jawfish

Opistognathus cyanospilotus - Blueblotch jawfish

Opistognathus cyanospilotus - Blueblotch jawfish

Opistognathus sp

Opistognathus sp

Opistognathus sp_6 - Chinstrap jawfish

Opistognathus sp_6 - Chinstrap jawfish

Opistognathus variabilis - Variable jawfish

Opistognathus variabilis - Variable jawfish

Opistognathus sp.- Ring eyed jawfish

Opistognathus sp.- Ring eyed jawfish