Description

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 18 - 19; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 17 - 19; Vertebrae: 33. This species possess the following characters: with a rigid upper jaw lacking flexible lamina posteriorly, extending about 0.6-0.9 eye diameters behind posterior margin of orbit; infraorbitals are moderately wide, the third infraorbital largest with large sensory canal openings, no suborbital shelf; D XI,18-19; A II,17-19; vertebrae 10 + 23; scale rows in horizontal series about 47-51; no scales anterolaterally forward of verticals from 6th or 7th dorsal-fin spine; vomerine teeth 2 or 3. Colouration: an oblong black spot (partially encircled by white border) between spines 3-6 of dorsal fin, and this extends slightly onto dorsum; when alive, yellowish-brown with pale blue markings in dorsal fin; when preserved, head and body uniformly tan, except largest specimen with pair of pale basicaudal spots (Ref. 76827, 128653).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Ovalentaria/misc

Family: Opistognathidae

Genus: Opistognathus

Species: Opistognathus elizabethensis Smith-Vaniz, 2004

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Benthic species which occurs inshore; inhabits coral reef (Ref. 75154).

Habitat

demersal