| Family: |
Monacanthidae (Filefishes) |
| Max. size: |
38 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 0 - 70 m, non-migratory |
| Distribution: |
Indo-Pacific: East Africa to French Polynesia, north to Japan and Hawaii. Eastern Pacific: Mexico to Colombia (Ref. 9318). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 2-2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 34-39; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 28-35. Greyish brown to yellowish brown with about 12 vertical dark brown bars; lips whitish; male adults with orange peduncle spines; soft dorsal, anal and pectoral fins pale yellowish; caudal fin orange with dusky rays (Ref. 4421). Sexually dimorphic with males having longer and deeper orange peduncular spines and deeper orange tail and eyes (Ref. 37816).
Description: Characterized by having first dorsal spine about equal to snout length, above front half of eye and partially fitting into groove on back; side of caudal fin with two pairs of anteriorly directed spines, larger in male; straight dorsal profile of snout; rounded caudal fin; depth of body at origin of anal fin 2.2-2.4 in SL (Ref. 90102). |
| Biology: |
Inhabit offshore coral reefs usually solitary or in pairs (Ref. 5503, 48637). Common in surface waters around oceanic islands (Ref. 9318). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Shy species, usually retreating quickly into caves or large crevices of the reef (Ref. 48637). Juveniles are pelagic, seen under floating objects (Ref. 9318). Feed on tips of branching corals, algae, sponges, sea urchins, and mollusks (Ref. 1602). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797. |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 02 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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