Oplegnathus conwayi

Cuckoo bass | Cape Knifejaw
Oplegnathus conwayi
Oplegnathus conwayi, Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa, Photo: Graham Edgar
Oplegnathus conwayi
Oplegnathus conwayi, Cape Town, Western Cape Province, South Africa, Photo: Graham Edgar
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Oplegnathus conwayi
Oplegnathus conwayi

Distribution

Localised


Description

Silver-grey body, with an oblong triangular head and fused teeth forming a parrot-like beak. A broad dark mask over eyes and a diffuse dark spot around and behind base of pectoral fin. Juveniles bright yellow with a black bar over eye and a broad dark bar on rear of body and tail base.


Information

Max Size: 90 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 14.9-22.3°C

Depth: 0-150m

Habitat Generalization Index: N/A

Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.


Conservation and Rarity

IUCN Status: Not Evaluated

Occurrence: Common (42.9% of sites)

Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed

Abundance: Few (4 per transect)

Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.


Edit by: Joe Shields