Species: Opistognathus nothus, Yellowmouth Jawfish

Opistognathus nothus Smith-Vaniz, 1997

Yellowmouth Jawfish

Elongate, compressed, tapering body; large bulbous head; eye large, high; front nostril a short tube without a cirrus; mouth terminal, large, extends well to rear of eye; rear of top jaw rigid, angular, tip points up, not ending in a flexible plate; front of roof of mouth without teeth; 26-32 gill rakers; fin spines flexible; dorsal and anal fins with long bases; dorsal X, 14, spines curved, tips slender, flexible; anal II, 13; pelvic fins I, 5, outer 2 rays stout and unbranched, inner 3 rays weaker and branched, fin base before the pectoral; tail rounded, shorter than head, ~25% of SL; lateral line on front half of body only, high; scales small, smooth, none on head, body with 44-54 oblique scale rows.

Head and body dark tan above, paler below; dark brown spots on head; dorsal fin with several rows of brown spots centered on fin spines and rays; a larger nearly black, horizontally elongate rectangle on membrane between spines IV-V and on spine V; yellow on lower lips at rear, and on inside top jaws; inner lining of top jaw and adjacent membrane with a black stripe; dorsal and anal fins with a yellow stripe near outer edge; tail fin with 2 yellow stripes, on top and bottom borders; pectorals and pelvics pale.

Reaches 7.9 cm SL.

Lives in burrows on sand and rubble bottoms.

Depth range: 92-100 m.

N Carolina to Cuba and Yucatan.