Other identification tools | FishBase

Fish Identification: Find Species


Family: Opistognathidae Jawfishes



(See list of species below)


Select Class:     Select Order:   
Select Family: Subfamily:     Select Genus:
Select Ocean (marine/brackish) or Continent (freshwater):
Select a country:
Only include species occuring above: m
Total number of spines in dorsal and anal fins (optional).      Enter total length (TL) and maximum body depth (BD)
Show family drawing(s)



95 species (see list below)
Export file

1 of 1 Jump to:

Sort by: Species Length Year
1 of 1 Jump to:
Export file
n = 95

Scientific Name English Name Distribution Max. Length (cm) Year
Anoptoplacus pygmaeus Pygmy jawfish Western Central Pacific 2.3 SL 2017
Lonchopisthus ancistrus Hook jawfish Western Central Atlantic 8.9 SL 2017
Lonchopisthus higmani Western Atlantic 13.5 TL 1959
Lonchopisthus lemur Western Central Atlantic 10.3 TL 1935
Lonchopisthus micrognathus Swordtail jawfish Western Central Atlantic 17.8 TL 1860
Lonchopisthus sinuscalifornicus Longtailed jawfish Eastern Central Pacific 30 TL 1988
Opistognathus adelus Obscure jawfish Western Indian Ocean 4.9 SL 2010
Opistognathus afer African jawfish Western Indian Ocean 4.1 SL 2010
Opistognathus albicaudatus Whitetail jawfish Eastern Indian Ocean 9.5 SL 2011
Opistognathus albomaculatus Whitespotted jawfish Western Pacific 5.7 SL 2023
Opistognathus alleni Abrolhos jawfish Eastern Indian Ocean 7.4 SL 2004
Opistognathus asper Ashmore jawfish Eastern Indian Ocean 5.0 SL 2023
Opistognathus aurifrons Yellowhead jawfish Western Central Atlantic 10 TL 1905
Opistognathus aurolineatus Threestripe jawfish Western Pacific 22.4 SL 2023
Opistognathus bathyphilus Lansdowne jawfish Western Pacific 6.6 SL 2023
Opistognathus biporus Bipored jawfish Western Pacific 6.4 SL 2023
Opistognathus brasiliensis Darkfin jawfish Southwest Atlantic 12.9 SL 1997
Opistognathus brochus Eastern Pacific 5.4 SL 2003
Opistognathus castelnaui Castelnau's jawfish Indo-West Pacific 25 SL 1860
Opistognathus challenger Western Pacific 7.6 SL 2023
Opistognathus crassus Stout jawfish Western Indian Ocean 3.6 SL 2010
Opistognathus cuvierii Bartail jawfish Southwest Atlantic 11.4 SL 1836
Opistognathus cyanospilotus Blueblotch jawfish Eastern Indian Ocean 13 TL 2009
Opistognathus darwiniensis Darwin jawfish Indo-West Pacific 50 TL 1878
Opistognathus decorus Tattooedj jawfish Western Pacific 15.5 SL 1985
Opistognathus dendriticus Dendtric jawfish Western Central Pacific 28 TL 1908
Opistognathus dipharus Tail beacon jawfish Western Indian Ocean 4.7 SL 2010
Opistognathus elizabethensis Elizabeth reef jawfish Southwest Pacific 7.1 SL 2004
Opistognathus ensiferus Mannar jawfish Eastern Indian Ocean 3.9 SL 2016
Opistognathus erdmanni Erdmann’s jawfish Eastern Indian Ocean 3.9 SL 2023
Opistognathus evermanni Rainbow jawfish Indo-West Pacific 11 TL 1902
Opistognathus eximius Harlequin smiler Western Pacific 28.5 SL 1908
Opistognathus fenmutis Eastern Pacific 27.1 TL 1993
Opistognathus fossoris Eastern Pacific 9.4 SL 2003
Opistognathus galapagensis Galapagos jawfish Southeast Pacific 16 TL 1991
Opistognathus gilberti Yellow jawfish Western Central Atlantic 6.4 SL 1967
Opistognathus hongkongiensis Western Pacific 14.2 SL 1968
Opistognathus hopkinsi Northwest Pacific 10.7 TL 1902
Opistognathus inornatus Black jawfish Eastern Indian Ocean 55 TL 1887
Opistognathus iyonis Northwest Pacific 6 SL 1913
Opistognathus jacksoniensis Smiler Western Pacific 1881
Opistognathus latitabundus Blotched jawfish Indo-West Pacific 30 TL 1937
Opistognathus leprocarus Roughcheek jawfish Western Central Atlantic 8.1 SL 1997
Opistognathus liturus Northwest Pacific 5.5 SL 1985
Opistognathus lonchurus Moustache jawfish Western Atlantic 12.2 SL 1882
Opistognathus longinaris Long nostril jawfish Western Indian Ocean 4.1 SL 2010
Opistognathus macrognathus Banded jawfish Western Atlantic 20 TL 1860
Opistognathus macrolepis Bigscale jawfish Western Central Pacific. 1866
Opistognathus margaretae Halfscaled jawfish Western Indian Ocean 9.2 TL 1983
Opistognathus maxillosus Mottled jawfish Western Atlantic 13 TL 1860
Opistognathus megalepis Largesacle jawfish Western Central Atlantic 1972
Opistognathus melachasme Yellowmouth jawfish Western Atlantic 10 TL 1972
Opistognathus mexicanus Mexican jawfish Eastern Central Pacific 12 TL 1991
Opistognathus muscatensis Robust jawfish Western Indian Ocean 45 TL 1888
Opistognathus nigromarginatus Birdled jawfish Indo-Pacific 18.6 TL 1830
Opistognathus nothus Western Central Atlantic 7.9 SL 1997
Opistognathus ocellicaudatus Eyespottail jawfish Northwest Pacific 6.9 SL 2021
Opistognathus panamaensis Panamanian jawfish Eastern Central Pacific 10 TL 1991
Opistognathus papuensis Papuan jawfish Western Central Pacific 40 TL 1868
Opistognathus pardus Western Indian Ocean 9.9 SL 2012
Opistognathus punctatus Finespotted jawfish Eastern Central Pacific 40.6 TL 1869
Opistognathus randalli Gold-specs jawfish Western Pacific 10.9 SL 2009
Opistognathus reticeps Reticulated jawfish Western Pacific 11.7 SL 2004
Opistognathus reticulatus Leopard jawfish Indo-West Pacific 50 TL 1969
Opistognathus rhomaleus Giant jawfish Eastern Central Pacific 51 TL 1882
Opistognathus robinsi Spotfin jawfish Western Central Atlantic 13.1 SL 1997
Opistognathus rosenbergii Rosenberg's jawfish Indo-West Pacific. 14 TL 1856
Opistognathus rosenblatti Blue-spotted jawfish Eastern Central Pacific 10 TL 1991
Opistognathus rufilineatus Red-Lined Jawfish Western Pacific 7.9 TL 2007
Opistognathus schrieri Curaçao jawfish Caribbean 4.8 SL 2017
Opistognathus scops Bullseye jawfish Eastern Central Pacific 12 TL 1889
Opistognathus seminudus Halfnaked jawfish Western Pacific 8.6 SL 2004
Opistognathus signatus Western Central Atlantic 8.9 SL 1997
Opistognathus simus Cargados jawfish Western Indian Ocean 6.6 SL 2010
Opistognathus smithvanizi Eastern Central Pacific 5.6 SL 2003
Opistognathus solorensis Solor jawfish Western Pacific 4.8 SL 1853
Opistognathus stigmosus Coral sea jawfish Western Pacific 7.1 SL 2004
Opistognathus thionyi Thiony’s jawfish Southwest Atlantic 5.4 SL 2018
Opistognathus trimaculatus Threespot jawfish Northwest Pacific 7.2 SL 2013
Opistognathus variabilis Variable jawfish Indo-West Pacific 9.6 SL 2009
Opistognathus verecundus Bashful jawfish Western Pacific 5.3 SL 2004
Opistognathus vicinus Brazilian dusky jawfish Southwest Atlantic Ocean 4.7 SL 2018
Opistognathus walkeri Eastern Pacific 11.7 SL 2003
Opistognathus whitehursti Dusky jawfish Western Atlantic 14 TL 1927
Stalix davidsheni Western Indian Ocean 1985
Stalix dicra Forked jawfish Western Central Pacific. 3.9 SL 1989
Stalix eremia Solitary jawfish Western Central Pacific. 3.4 SL 1989
Stalix flavida Eastern Indian Ocean 1989
Stalix histrio Harlequin jawfish Indo-West Pacific 3 SL 1902
Stalix immaculata Western Pacific. 1980
Stalix moenensis Muna jawfish Western Central Pacific. 7.2 TL 1922
Stalix omanensis Oman jawfish Western Indian Ocean 4.2 TL 1939
Stalix sheni Western Pacific 1989
Stalix toyoshio Northwest Pacific 4.3 SL 1999
Stalix versluysi Versluys' jawfish Western Central Pacific. 3.8 SL 1913



Other identification tools in FishBase


Quick Identification
Identification keys
Identification by morphometrics
Identification by pictures:
          If you already know the Family, go to Search FishBase, select Family and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in FishBase for the family.

          If you already know the Country, go to Search FishBase, select Country and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in FishBase for the country.

          If you already know the Ecosystem, go to Search FishBase, select Ecosystem and click on 'Identification by pictures' to display all available pictures in FishBase for the ecosystem.
cfm script by eagbayani, 30.11.04, ,  php script by cmilitante, 05/11/2010 ,  last modified by cmilitante, 14/03/2013