Description

Dorsal spines (total): 10 - 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 17 - 18; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 14 - 15; Vertebrae: 30 - 32. This species is distinguished by the following characters: with a rigid upper jaw lacking flexible lamina posteriorly, in adults extending about 0.7-1.2 eye diameters behind posterior margin of orbit; infraorbitals are relatively slender and tubular, the third infraorbital with small sensory canal opening and slender suborbital shelf; D X-XI,17-18, rarely X,18; vertebrae typically 12 + 18 or 19; body with two separate lateral lines, with the ventral one irregularly developed along lower side in region of anal-fin origin, often with one or more branches on belly; head covered with close-set, tiny, brown spots; pelvic and caudal fins usually strongly barred; anterior naris palmate (Ref. 128653).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Ovalentaria/misc

Family: Opistognathidae

Genus: Opistognathus

Species: Opistognathus darwiniensis Macleay, 1878

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Found in shallow reefs, in sand or rubble areas. Mouthbrooders (Ref. 240).

Habitat

associated