Description

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 16; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 14 - 15; Vertebrae: 28. This species is distinguished by the following characters: elongate supramaxilla and posterior end of maxilla produced as a thin flexible lamina; a single conspicuous black stripe at inner lining of upper jaw and adjacent membranes; dorsal, anal and caudal fins with narrow, pale (blue in life) distal margins; when alive, dorsal portion of iris golden; lateral-line terminus below verticals between segmented dorsal-fin rays 1 to 4, typically below second to third ray; caudal vertebrae 18 (Ref. 81517).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Ovalentaria/misc

Family: Opistognathidae

Genus: Opistognathus

Species: Opistognathus randalli Smith-Vaniz, 2009

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Males of this species are strongly territorial and frequently engage in jaw locking combat, apparently to evict rivals or confiscate their burrows (Ref. 81517). Found in sand/rubble bottoms near reefs in about 5-30 m (Ref 90102).

Habitat

neritic