Yellow Headed Jawfish Stock Photo

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.