Saltwaterfish. Jawfishes. It is a bottom-dweller in sand and coral debris. A colonial fish, is usualy found in the company of others, with burrows 30cm or more apart. By day it hovers above the burrow, rotating its head feeding on plankton. It excavates the burrow itsself. By night it retires and closes its burrow with small stones and shells. The male keeps the eggs in its mouth until they hatch.

- Banded Jawfish Opistognathus macrognathus

Size: 5 - 8 cm, max 10 cm.
Colour: Pale bluish grey with small pale blue dots. The head is yellow, fins and tail are blue.
Shape: Elongated body with long fins, big head and mouth.The male keeps the eggs in its mouth until they hatch.

Inhabits coral reefs. It is a bottom-dweller in sand and coral debris. A colonial fish, is usualy found in the company of others, with burrows 30cm or more apart. By day it hovers above the burrow, rotating its head feeding on plankton. It excavates the burrow itsself. By night it retires and closes its burrow with small stones and shells.

BES-eilanden: St. Eustatius.

[Marion Haarsma, feb. 2016]

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