Amazing Yellowhead Jawfish at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, Florida! Yellowhead Jawfish Spitting!

video of Amazing Yellowhead Jawfish at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa, Florida!

The yellowhead jawfish (Opistognathus aurifrons) is a species of jawfish native to coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea. It is found at depths of from 3 to 40 metres (9.8 to 131.2 ft). The head and upper body are a light, but brilliant, yellow color slowly fading to a pearlescent blue hue. It can reach a length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) TL.[2] Yellowhead jawfishes are usually found in Florida. They are usually found in shallow areas where materials are available for burrow construction. The Jawfishes live in rubble areas and sand in groups of up to 70 species.

It remains near its relatively small territory, and is typically seen with only the head and upper section of its body protruding from its burrow, although it sometimes can be found hovering nearby. It is able to arrange material using its mouth, carrying sand, shells, or small rocks from one location to another.

It is a mouthbrooder, with the male carrying the eggs in its mouth until they hatch.

Yellowhead jawfish have two different types of responses to intruders. Flight or Fight. The type of response depends on the type of incoming fish. During flight, the fish will swim away from the intruder and in go into their burrow, covering the opening with a large rock. During fight, the fish will spit sand or rocks at the intruder. [4]

The Florida Aquarium is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, publicly operated institution located in downtown Tampa, Florida, United States. It is a large scale, 250,000-square-foot (23,000 m2) aquarium and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. This means they are a leader in conservation and education, supporting programs for wildlife and having a strong educational component in the forms of summer camps, school trips, etc. The facility is home to more than 7,000 aquatic plants and animals from Florida and all over the world. The facility is located in the Channel District of Downtown Tampa. The Florida Aquarium opened in March 1995 as a privately funded entity and became a public-private partnership when the city of Tampa assumed responsibility for its debt in 1999. On April 18, 2012, the AIA's Florida Chapter placed the Florida Aquarium on its list of Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places.[2]

On May 8, 2017, it was announced that the aquarium hired Roger Germann as its new president and CEO. Germann came from the John G. Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, where he was executive vice president for 16 years, and also served on the advisory board of the EPA Great Lakes National Program Office.