| Opistognathidae (Jawfishes) |
| 5.73 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
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reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 37 m |
| Western Pacific: Philippines, Indonesia, Solomon (Santa Cruz islands). |
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Dorsal spines (total): 10-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 19-21; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 18-20; Vertebrae: 29-29. This species is distinguished by the following characters: a rigid upper jaw lacking flexible lamina posteriorly, extending 0.4-0.6 eye diameters behind posterior margin of orbit; infraorbitals are relatively robust, the third infraorbital with very large sensory canal openings and moderate suborbital shelf; D X,19-21; A II,18-20; vertebrae 10+19; body with about 35-38 scale rows in horizontal series, no scales anterolaterally forward of
verticals from segmented dorsal-fin rays 5–7; no vomerine teeth; body scale rows pigmented appearing to form a well-defined dark, horizontal rows that are separated by narrow pale interspaces; head and body are with large white blotches, and pale median fins with brown stripe on outer half of spinous dorsal fin and middle of soft dorsal
and anal fins; pectoral-fin base with dark a crescent shaped like a reversed letter “C” that extends from dorsal margin of opercle and curves downward opposite bases of pectoral rays to near ventral margin of fin; iris with dark bars radiating from pupil (Ref. 128653). |
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Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
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| harmless |
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Collected from Palawan Prov., off SE side of West Nalaut Island off western Busuanga and Oriental Mindoro, Puerto Galera off w. entrance to Manila Channel (Ref. 128653). |
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