Classification / Names
Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa
Teleostei (teleosts) >
Gobiiformes (Gobies) >
Butidae (Gudgeon gobies)
Etymology: Ophiocara: Greek, ophis = serpent + Greek, kara = face (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; amphidromous (Ref. 133165). Subtropical
Distribution
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Indo-Pacific: Japan (Ryukyu Arch.), Taiwan, the Philippines, Palau, Cambodia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, the Solomon Islands, and New Caledonia.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 19.3 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 133165); 17.6 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8 - 9; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 7; Vertebrae: 26 - 27. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: longitudinal row scales 33-36; predorsal scales 20-26; snout length 9.4-11.5% of SL; upper jaw length 13.4-16.0% of SL; caudal fin length 27.3-34.6% of SL; opercular scales with ctenii; infraorbital neuromast rows from eye is usually six. Colouration: with conspicuous silver or white spots on head, body, and dorsal and caudal fins; while juveniles have two inverted triangular bands
on body; anterior of body with silver spots; caudal fin base no bright markings (Ref. 133165).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal; Cross section: oval.
All specimens collected (from Ryukyu Archipelago) were caught in mangrove estuaries (Rhizophoraceae species dominant), in mainstream areas, channels, and pools near river mouths (salinity 14-30 ppt, 3 sites). It was observed to be particularly abundant on Ishigaki and Iriomote islands (southern Ryukyu Archipelago), but relatively rare northward from Okinawa Island. Juveniles were usually in brackish pools with leaf litter on the muddy bottom. On Iriomote and Ishigaki islands, this species was usually observed with other gobioid species, including Acentrogobius janthinopterus, Bostrychus sinensis, Eleotris melanosoma and a Mugilogobius sp. (Ref. 133165).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Kobayashi, H. and M. Sato, 2023. The genus Ophiocara (Teleostei: Butidae) in Japan, with descriptions of two new species. Ichthyol. Res. 71(1):119-153. (Ref. 133165)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Tools
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5312 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.55 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (14 of 100).
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