Barred Knifejaw

Barred Knifejaw

Oplenathus fasciatus
Barred Knifejaw

Family, Genus, Class & Etymology

Family    Oplegnathidae
Description    Knifejaws
Environment    Marine
Etymology    Name from the Greek '(h)oplon' for 'weapon' (P.Adamcka, pers.comm. 08/09) and 'gnathos' for jaw; there is also a substantive (h)ople, meaning 'hoof' (of an ass or horse), which may have a very sharp edge, and was perhaps also in Richardson's imagination.
Genus    1
No. of Species    7
Order    Perciformes
Class    Actinopterygii
Reproductive Guild    Nonguarders
Distribution    Japan, southern half of Australia to Tasmania, Galapagos and Peru, and South Africa. Teeth fused forming a parrotlike beak in adults. Low spinous dorsal fin in adults. Spinous and soft dorsal fin about the same height and are countinuous in juveniles. Spines in dorsal fin 11 or 12; soft rays 11-22. Three spines in anal fin; 11-16 soft rays. Very small scales. About 0.9 m maximum length. Feed on barnacles and mollusks. Foodfishes. Usually not kept in aquaria. Assumed to be nonguarders (RF).