This dataset contains the digitized treatments in Plazi based on the original journal article Smith-Vaniz, William F. (2016): Opistognathus ensiferus, a new species of jawfish (Opistognathidae) from the Gulf of Mannar, India, with redescription of O. solorensis Bleeker. Zootaxa 4196 (2): 278-288, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4196.2.6

Abstract

A new species of jawfish, Opistognathus ensiferus n. sp., is described based on a single specimen from Manauli Reef in the Gulf of Mannar, India. It is a member of a species group that also includes Opistognathus solorensis Bleeker (Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan and Palau) and O. verecundus Smith-Vaniz (northwestern Australia). From these two species O. ensiferus n. sp. differs in lacking dark oral pigmentation, except inner lining of upper jaw and adjacent membranes with a single dark stripe (vs. two stripes) and in having a lateral line ending below the 6th or 7th segmented dorsal-fin ray (vs. below the 1st to 4th ray). Opistognathus solorensis is redescribed and in the absence of extant type specimens a neotype is designated. Two strikingly different color morphs are documented for O. solorensis, including the less common one which is almost entirely yellow.

Key words: Opistognathidae, jawfish, Opistognathus ensiferus new species, India

GBIF url: https://www.gbif.org/dataset/19af51e2-7ec2-4ee9-9663-3a88c75e8150
Homepage: https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/summary/DC68FF8BFF8AFFDDFF909466D62AFF88
Citation: Smith-Vaniz W F, plazi (2016). Opistognathus ensiferus, a new species of jawfish (Opistognathidae) from the Gulf of Mannar, India, with redescription of O. solorensis Bleeker. Plazi.org taxonomic treatments database. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4196.2.6 accessed via GBIF.org on 2026-02-12.