Parrotperch, Japanese Oplegnathus fasciatus

Kroyer, 1845

OPLEGNATHIDAE FAMILY
Also called knifefish, hoofjaws, horseshoe jaws

The ishidai is especially abundant in western Japan, but it is can be found on every coast of Japan and also in Hawaii. It inhabits coastal waters from shoreline to about 150-m (500 ft) depth especially in the vicinity of rocky areas.

Members of the Oplegnatidae or knifefish family are sometimes called parrotfish or false parrotfishes, although they are unrelated to the true parrotfishes (Scaridae family). The teeth of both jaws are fused into cutting plates like the “beak” of parrotfishes which allows them to easily break the shells of snails or barnacles.

The ishidai body is oblong-oval and moderately compressed with very small scales. There is a single dorsal fin with the spinous base much longer than the base of the soft portion. Adult isihidai have a low spinous dorsal fin. The spinous and soft dorsal fins are about the same height and are continuous in juveniles. In young individuals, the body is marked by about seven darker, vertical bands that gradually disappear with age. Very large fish generally have solid colors in grays and browns with the snout becoming black. (see parrotperch, spotted

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