Honeycomb filefish facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Honeycomb filefish
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Tetraodontiformes
Family:	Monacanthidae
Genus:	Cantherhines
Species:	C. pardalis
Binomial name
Cantherhines pardalis (Rüppel, 1837)
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Synonyms
Amanses microlepidotus Gray, 1859 Cantherines pardalis (Rüppell, 1837) Hanomanctus bovinus Smith, 1949 Monacanthus aspersus Hollard, 1854 Monacanthus brunneus Castelnau, 1873 Monacanthus fatensis Seale, 1906 Monacanthus fuliginosus MacLeay, 1883 Monacanthus houttuyni Bleeker, 1854 Monacanthus kibikib Montrouzier, 1857 Monacanthus laevicaudatus Duncker & Mohr, 1929 Monacanthus melanistius Regan, 1908 Monacanthus melanuropterus Bleeker, 1853 Monacanthus natalensis Gilchrist & Thompson, 1911 Monacanthus pardalis Rüppell, 1837

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The Honeycomb Filefish (Cantherhines pardalis) is a fascinating type of fish. It belongs to a group of fish called filefishes, known for their unique skin texture. You might also hear it called the honeycomb leatherjacket or wire-netting filefish because of its cool patterns. This fish lives in warm, tropical waters across the Indian Ocean, the eastern Atlantic Ocean, and the western Pacific Ocean. However, you won't find it near Hawaii; a similar fish, Cantherhines sandwichiensis, lives there instead.

What Does the Honeycomb Filefish Look Like?

This fish can grow up to 25 centimetres (9.8 in) (about 10 inches) long. But usually, it's around 15 centimetres (5.9 in) (about 6 inches) in length.

Fins and Spines

The dorsal fin, which is on its back, has two parts. The front part has two long, curved spines. The back part has thirty-two to thirty-six soft rays. The first spine is right above the middle of the fish's eye. There's a deep groove on its back where this spine can fold down. The anal fin, on its underside, has no spines. It has twenty-nine to thirty-two soft rays.

Color and Markings

Honeycomb Filefish come in three main color types. Some are a uniform dark brown. Others are a mottled grayish-brown, meaning they have patches of different shades. The third type has a gray background with a network of fine, polygonal markings, like a honeycomb pattern. This is how it gets its name!

You can spot a prominent white spot on this fish. It's located at the base of the back part of the second dorsal fin. Another white spot is at the base of the back part of the anal fin. These spots are also seen on its relatives, C. pullus from the tropical Atlantic and C. sandwichiensis from Hawaii.

Where Does the Honeycomb Filefish Live?

This fish lives in warm, tropical marine waters. It is often found around reefs. It usually stays at depths of up to 20 m (66 ft) (about 65 feet). Sometimes, it might go a bit deeper.

Behavior and Diet

The Honeycomb Filefish is a shy and quiet fish. It usually lives by itself. It feeds on organisms that live on the seafloor, which are called benthic organisms. Both young fish (juveniles) and adult fish sometimes float along with plants and algae. This includes rafts of Sargassum, a type of seaweed.