Orangespotted filefish facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Orangespotted filefish
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Tetraodontiformes
Family:	Monacanthidae
Genus:	Cantherhines
Species:	C. pullus
Binomial name
Cantherhines pullus Ranzani, 1842
Script error: The function "autoWithCaption" does not exist.

Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".

The orangespotted filefish (Cantherhines pullus) is a cool type of filefish. It was first described by a scientist named Camillo Ranzani way back in 1842. This fish lives in warm, shallow waters. You can find it in the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico.

What Does the Orangespotted Filefish Look Like?

This fish can grow to be about 20 centimeters (8 inches) long. Its head has wavy yellowish lines. These lines run down its snout. Near its eyes, you might see bluish lines mixed in.

The body of the filefish has wide brown stripes. These stripes are separated by thin, whitish-yellow bands. These bands meet near its tail. There is often a white spot on its tail base, sometimes with a smaller spot below it.

Its body is covered with tiny orange spots. Some of these orange spots have brown centers. You can also see small white spots. The first spine of its dorsal fin is very big. It sits right above the eye. This spine can fold down into a special groove when the fish doesn't need it.

Where Does the Orangespotted Filefish Live?

The orangespotted filefish lives in the Caribbean Sea. It also lives in the northern Gulf of Mexico. You can find it in the warm, tropical parts of the Atlantic Ocean. In the western Atlantic, it ranges from Massachusetts all the way to southeastern Brazil. In the eastern Atlantic, it is found near São Tomé and the Gulf of Guinea.

This fish usually lives on reefs. It prefers depths between 3 and 50 meters (10 to 164 feet). However, it is most often found in waters shallower than 20 meters (66 feet).

What Does the Orangespotted Filefish Eat?

The orangespotted filefish likes to swim close to the seabed. It hides among tall corals and gorgonians on rocky and coral reefs. Its main food is sponges and algae. It also eats other small creatures that live on the bottom. These include tunicates and bryozoans.

Young filefish, called juveniles, live in the open water. They are often eaten by bigger fish. These predators include tuna and billfishes.