Species: Opistognathus punctatus, Fine-spotted jawfish
body - dark spots & blotches
male: black Vs inside lower jaw
Opistognathus punctatus Peters, 1869
Fine-spotted jawfish
Elongate, compressed, tapering body; large bulbous head; eye large, high; a simple cirrus at front nostril; top jaw nearly as long as head in large males; no broad flap at top corner of operculum; front of roof of mouth with 2 teeth; lips without inner papillae; gill rakers 41-49; dorsal rays XI, 16-17; anal rays III, 16-17; pectoral 20-21; tail rounded, much shorter than head; lateral line on front half of body only, high; scales small, smooth, none on head, body with 128-150 oblique scale rows.
Light grey or brownish with numerous fine dark spots on head and body, also larger blackish spots and blotches on side and fins; juveniles have fewer larger spots than adult and become increasingly more spotted with growth; pectorals of juveniles clear, becoming increasingly spotted with growth; juveniles under about 15 cm with an elongate black spot on middle of dorsal fin between 4th and 8th spines, this spot an ocellus in very small individuals; inside lower jaw of male with two black V shaped marks.
Maximum size to 40 cm.
Inhabits sand-rubble bottoms.
Depth: 5-20 m.
Southern Baja and the Gulf of California to Gorgona Island, Colombia, and Malpelo.
The juvenile of this species was described as O. mexicanus by Allen and Robertson (1991).
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
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- Inshore Only
- Inshore
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom
- Bottom only
- Habitat
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- Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
- Soft bottom only
- Sand & gravel
- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- FishBase Habitat
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- Demersal
- Feeding Group
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- No Data
- Carnivore
- Diet
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- Bony fishes
- Mobile benthic gastropods/bivalves
- No Data
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Egg Type
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- Brooded
- Pelagic larva
- No data
- Global Endemism
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- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
- East Pacific endemic
- All species
- Regional Endemism
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- Continent + Island (s)
- All species
- TEP endemic
- Continent
- Island (s)
- Residency
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- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
- North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California)
- Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
- Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
- IUCN Red List
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- Listed
- Least concern
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 40
- Depth Range Min
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- 5
- Depth Range Max
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- 20
