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  • D black stripe along front
    LL ends under D spines I-III
    Anoptoplacus pygmaeus, Pigmy jawfish
    top lip dark
    jaw teeth - 1 row, slender, straight
    male A - black stripe along base
    C oval, ~head
  • body & fins yellow
    D&A 12
    C 5-13 branched rays
    inside mouth pale
    cheeks no scales
    pelvic long, long ray white
    longitudinal scales 33-39
  • grey-brown, fins dark
    operculum - oval black & white ocellus
    D 18, A 17
    C: 0 branched rays
    Lonchopisthus higmani, Higman’s jawfish, Spotcheek jawfish
    membrane between jaws: black
    longitudinal scales 47-56
  • D&A 12
    C: 12 branched rays
    Lonchopisthus lemur, Palemouth jawfish, Ghost jawfish
    membrane between jaws: pale
    under end top jaw: blunt notch
    pelvics short
    longitudinal scales 26-33
  • thin blue bars: rear head - 3, body ~6-8 narrow blue bars
    +/- opercle blotch
    D 17, A 17
    C: 0 branched rays
    Lonchopisthus micrognathus, Swordtail jawfish
    membrane between jaws:dark
    under end top jaw: hook
    longitudinal scales 47-59
  • yellow head, rear bluey-white
    dark bar through eye
    Opistognathus aurifrons, Yellowhead jawfish
  • blue grey; front D (male) black spot
    head behind eye: 2 yellow bars
    flank: yellow stripe
    D XI
    Opistognathus gilberti, Yellow jawfish
    C: short, male - black, female - yellow
    top jaw: expanded & square at rear
    front roof mouth: teeth
    gill rakers 34-62
    A 13-14
  • yellow + 2 lavender stripes
    D, C & A: blue & yellow
    opercle: black triangle in white Y
    Opistognathus leprocarus, Roughcheek jawfish
    front nostril: short tube, no cirrus
    D spines straight, strong
    cheeks all scaled
  • yellow-brown; blue: eye, lips, cheek stripe
    body: 3 thin blue stripes
    fins yellow + blue stripes
    Opistognathus lonchurus, Moustache jawfish
    top jaw: slightly expanded & ovate at rear
  • body: 5-6 dark bars
    oblong black spot - center spiny D
    top jaw ends in long, thin, flexible plate
    inside throat dark + 2 oblong pale areas
    stripes on lining top jaw - male 2, female 1
  • nostril cirrus broad, branched
    body: 5-6 dark bars + stripe
    D spines stiff, straight, with tabs, front ocellus
    C: base - double white blotch, bordered by brown
    Opistognathus maxillosus, Mottled jawfish
    in throat all dark
  • yellow
    fins - brown edges
    inside mouth pale
    D 11-12; A 11
    Opistognathus megalepis, Largescale jawfish
    front nostril: no cirrus
    D spines thin, flexible
    26-42 lateral scales
  • body lavender + 3 red spots
    head red above, orange below
    inside mouth yellow, black at rear
    Opistognathus melachasme, Megamouth jawfish
    D: X, I-V black
    top jaw: long rear blade
  • head - brown spots
    D spotted + black blotch spines IV-V
    top jaw lining - black stripe
    Opistognathus nothus, Yellowmouth jawfish
    C: top & bottom borders yellow
    rear top jaw rigid, points up
  • body & fins dark, + rows white spots
    D ocellus spines II-VII
    inside throat all dark
    Opistognathus robinsi, Spotfin jawfish
    top jaw lining - black stripe (male)
    top jaw ends in long thin, flexible plate
  • body: 5 bars
    top jaw: rear expansion - white + black bar
    C, A & pelvics - yellow edges
    Opistognathus schrieri, Curacao jawfish
    D yellow & white, front black blotch, base 4 brown/black blotches
    in mouth: rear black, white & yellow
    pectoral base white
  • body: scattered dark spots, no bars
    D spines III-VII ocellus, rest dark + white spots
    inside throat all dark
    Opistognathus signatus, Dark spotted jawfish
    male: inside top jaw - 1 black stripe
    C black & white bars
    top jaw ends in long, thin, flexible plate
  • body mottled, + dark flecks
    snout: dark bar between eyes
    lips: white bars
    D, A & C: dark + rows pale spots or vice versa
    front D: +/- indistinct dark blotch
    lateral scales 42-54