Collecting Taxonomy...
💡 Tip: Contribute to species pages to earn XP!
100% Complete
3 Data Sources
Yellowhead Jawfish
Opistognathus aurifrons
Also known as: Yellowhead jawfish • yellowhead jawfish
Kingdom: Metazoa• Family: Opistognathidae
The yellowhead jawfish is a species of jawfish native to coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea. They can be found at depths of from 3 to 40 metres. The head and upper body are a light, but brilliant, yellow color slowly fading to a pearlescent blue hue. They can reach a length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) TL. Yellowhead jawfishes are common in Florida. The Jawfishes live in rubble areas and sand in groups of up to 70 individuals.
📌 In captivity
In the aquarium they feed on planktonic matter, commonly taking brine shrimp, mysis shrimp, and prepared frozen and pelleted fish food. When other fish come near their territories, they will open their jaws wide and try to warn them off, but they rarely attack. They are one of the most docile jawfish towards fish of their kind, and can be kept in small groups of 1 individual per 10 gallons.
Quick Facts
Common Names:
Yellowhead Jawfish, Yellowhead jawfish, yellowhead jawfish
Class:
Actinopteri
Data Completeness:
100%
Data Sources
🌍gbif
📚itis
📖wikipedia
🔬eol
🦎inaturalist
References
All references are verified for authenticity. We prioritize peer-reviewed studies, reputable databases (iNaturalist, GBIF), and established encyclopedias.
Distribution Statistics
10
Observations
10
Countries
Top Locations
Triple wreck
1
Saba, Caribbean Netherlands
1
Riviera Beach, FL, USA
1
Aruba
1
St Lucia
1
Recent Observers
@melodie_caussat
@zahnerphoto
@luis1167
@daniel3417
@wetlens
@dgarv75
First: 6/25/2016 · Latest: 8/4/2025
Data aggregates species content from multiple sources including Wikipedia, iNaturalist, GBIF, and ITIS. Content may transform over time. Wikipedia content is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.