Opistognathus brochus Bussing & Lavenberg, 2003

Family:  Opistognathidae (Jawfishes)
Max. size:  5.4 cm SL (male/unsexed); 4.32 cm SL (female)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 20 - 82 m
Distribution:  Eastern Pacific: upper Gulf of California and Pacific coast of Costa Rica.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-13; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 12-12; Vertebrae: 26-26. This small (3.9-5.4 cm SL), slender species possess the following combination of characters: dark speckling on head and body; dusky dorsal and anal fins, several black blotches on dorsal fin; short maxilla (0.5-0.9 eye diameters beyond orbit), truncate; long and slender teeth; D 13, A III; 49-57 oblique scale rows in longitudinal series; 28(29)-31 pores in lateral line series; gill rakers on lower limb of first arch 15 (17)-18; anterior nostril with a short tube without cirrus; 16 caudal vertebrae 16 (Ref. 75633).
Biology:  Collected by otter trawls and dredge. Female specimens at 3.85 and 4.32 cm SL are gravid (Ref. 75633).
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 24 May 2007 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.