Fringed filefish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fringed filefish |
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The fringed filefish, also called the leather-fish, is a type of bony fish. You can often find it in shallow waters in the western Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico. This fish is known for its unique appearance and its amazing ability to blend in with its surroundings.
What Does It Look Like?
The fringed filefish has a body that is flat from side to side. It has a deep "keel" (like the bottom of a boat) and a special flap of skin called a "dewlap" on its underside. These fish usually grow to be about 10 to 14 centimeters (4 to 5.5 inches) long. The biggest ones can reach up to 20 centimeters (about 8 inches).
It has large eyes and a short, pointy snout. Its mouth is small but has strong teeth. The fin on its back, called the dorsal fin, has two parts. The first part is right behind its eyes and has two spines. The first spine is long and can stand up straight, while the second one is tiny. The second part of the dorsal fin is further back and is made of soft rays.
The fins on its sides, called pectoral fins, are small. The fin on its belly looks like a spine. The tail fin is short and shaped like a fan, made of soft rays. The fish's skin is covered in very small scales, which makes it feel a bit like leather. It also has tiny, pointed, fleshy bumps scattered over its skin.
The color of the fringed filefish can change to match its surroundings. It might be greenish if it lives in seagrass meadows, or brown or tan if it's on reefs or in sandy areas. It often has irregular darker stripes along its body. Sometimes, you can see a large black spot on its dewlap.
Where Does It Live?
The fringed filefish lives in the shallow parts of the western Atlantic Ocean. Its range stretches from Newfoundland all the way down to Argentina. It also lives in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Sometimes, it has been seen on the eastern Atlantic coasts of Europe and Africa too.
This fish loves to live in seagrass meadows, where it can hide easily. But you can also find it among coral rubble, in sandy areas, and sometimes even in rocky spots. It is a demersal fish, which means it lives near the bottom of the ocean. It is usually found at depths between 5 and 20 meters (16 to 65 feet).
Life and Habits
The fringed filefish is a master of disguise! It can change its color very quickly to blend in with its surroundings. This helps it hide from predators and sneak up on its food. It often hangs upside down among seagrasses, algae, or gorgonians (a type of soft coral).
This fish eats a variety of things. It feeds on algae and seagrass. It also picks up small invertebrates from the seabed. These tiny creatures include shrimps, amphipods (small crustaceans), isopods (another type of crustacean), ostracods (tiny shelled animals), polychaete worms, and molluscs (like snails or clams).
Reproduction
When it's time to have babies, one male fringed filefish usually mates with several females. The females lay their eggs in small hollows they dig in the sand, or in other hidden places. The male then fertilizes these eggs. After the eggs are laid, one of the parents will guard them carefully until they hatch.
When the baby fish hatch, they are called juveniles. These young fish are pelagic, which means they live in the open water, not on the bottom. You might find them floating among large clumps of Sargassum weed, which is a type of seaweed that floats on the ocean surface.
