OPISTOGNATHIDAE Opistognathus rosenbergii, 10.2 cm SL (photo by Ukkrit Satapoomin) Opistognathus rosenbergii Bleeker, 1857 Rosenberg's Jawfish D XI, 12-13; A III, 12-13; P1 21; LR 82-88; GR 11-12 + 22-23. Body compressed, head robust, profile almost vertical before eyes, slightly convex from behind eyes to dorsal-fin origin. Mouth large, upper jaw short, 1.5-1.6 in head length, extending 0.8-1.0 eye diameter behind posterior margin of orbit; maxilla widest at end and slightly truncate. Both jaws with an outer row of enlarged conical teeth; 3-4 irregular rows of much smaller inner teeth present anteriorly; vomerine teeth absent. Scales absent on head, nape, pectoral-fin base, breast, and anteriorly above lateral line. Lateral-line terminus below verticals from 3rd to 5th segmented dorsal-fin rays. Color: head and body brownish, abdomen and thorax white; 6 irregular brown bands on sides of body, the first 2 wedge-shaped, and posterior 4 bands arc and join at midbody thus forming a wavy midlateral stripe; dorsal fin with 5 blackish brown to black blotches separating by white bands, the posterior bands joined above dorsal edges of the last 2 blotches; margin of the fin blackish; distal half of anal fin black contrasting with white basally, 2 brownish black blotches posteriorly on base of the fin; pectoral fins hyaline, with white bases; pelvic fins largely black with pale bases; caudal brownish shading to black ventrally, with diffuse-edged crescentic white band in middle of the fin. Size: maximum length about 16 cm. Distribution: eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific, from south-east coast of India, Andaman Sea, and western Sumatra to South Vietnam. Remarks: inhabits coastal waters usually on muddy sand or soft bottoms to at least 20 m depth.(Ukkrit Satapoomin)