Oplegnathidae
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Oplegnathidae is a family of fish within the Perciformes commonly known as knifejaws; some species are known as beakfish. It contains a single genus, Oplegnathus. The largest, the cape knifejaw, can reach a maximum length of about 90 cm (35 in). Knifejaws have teeth fused into a parrotlike beak in adulthood. They feed on barnacles and mollusks, and are fished commercially. They are found in Japan, in the southern half of Australia to Tasmania, in the Galapagos and Peru, and in South Africa.
[edit] Species
- Cape knifejaw, Oplegnathus conwayi Richardson, 1840
- Oplegnathus fasciatus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1844)
- Pacific beakfish, Oplegnathus insignis (Kner, 1867)
- Mozambique knifejaw, Oplegnathus peaolopesi Smith, 1947
- Spotted knifejaw, Oplegnathus punctatus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1844)
- Natal knifejaw, Oplegnathus robinsoni Regan, 1916
[edit] References
- ITIS: Oplegnathidae, accessed August 24, 2006
- FishBase: Family Oplegnathidae - Knifejaws, accessed August 24, 2006
- "Oplegnathus". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. June 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
