- Yellowhead jawfish
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Yellow-headed jawfish 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Perciformes Family: Opistognathidae Genus: Opistognathus Species: O. aurifrons Binomial name Opistognathus aurifrons
(Jordan & Thompson, 1905)The Yellow-headed jawfish (Opistognathus aurifrons) is found in coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea. The head and upper body are a light, but brilliant, yellow color slowly fading to a pearlescent blue hue. The mouth and jaws are, as suggested by the common name, a signature of the jawfishes.
It remains near its relatively small territory, and is typically seen with only the head and upper section of its body protouding from its burrow, although it sometimes can be found hovering nearby. It is able to arrange material using its mouth to carry sand, shells, or small rocks from one location to another, or removing them from its burrow, and placing them in more preferred locations.
It is a mouthbrooder, with males carrying the eggs in the mouth until they hatch.
In the aquarium
Interesting behaviors[specify] can be observed when placed in a shoal setting, provided they have a large enough habitat. In the aquarium they feed on small planktonic matter, commonly taking brine shrimp, mysis shrimp and prepared frozen and pelleted foods. When other fish come near its territory, it will open its jaw wide and try to warn them off, but rarely attacks.
References
- "Opistognathus aurifrons". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=170928. Retrieved 24 January 2006.
- Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2005). "Opistognathus aurifrons" in FishBase. 10 2005 version.
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