Dr. Rick Stuart-Smith, Reef Life Survey, Australien
Info
Males of the filefish Acanthaluteres vittiger have a characteristic set of bristles on each side of the posterior portion of the body.
Females have a less distinctive appearance, but can be identified by the shape of the body, a light brown coloration, and a dorsal spine that fully inserts into a groove when depressed.
Males are brown to blackish blue, with numerous blue lines and spots, a conspicuous white to light blue band extending from each eye to a toothbrush-like patch of bristles on the posterior side of the body.
A similarly colored spot is located near the pectoral fin.
The caudal fin is dark with a pale posterior margin.
Females are yellowish brown to brown, usually with scattered light spots and dark brown spots on the side of the body.
Juveniles resemble females but usually also have a broad white stripe extending from the chin to the caudal peduncle.
This species inhabits estuaries, seagrass beds, and rocky and algal reefs with dense vegetation.
Newly hatched filefish often reside under floating algae rafts, juveniles live in seagrasses, while adults are found in deeper reefs.
Unfortunately, the life span of these animals is relatively short at only two to three years.
The species name "vittiger" is composed of the Latin "vitta" = band, stripe, and "ger" = to bear, and refers to the broad white stripe on juveniles that runs from the chin to the caudal peduncle, "an irregular but broad longitudinal band extending on each side from the snout to the tail."
Synonyms:
Acanthaluteres guntheri (MacLeay, 1881)
Cantherines guntheri MacLeay, 1881
Monacanthus vittiger Castelnau, 1873
Penicipelta vittiger (Castelnau, 1873)
Females have a less distinctive appearance, but can be identified by the shape of the body, a light brown coloration, and a dorsal spine that fully inserts into a groove when depressed.
Males are brown to blackish blue, with numerous blue lines and spots, a conspicuous white to light blue band extending from each eye to a toothbrush-like patch of bristles on the posterior side of the body.
A similarly colored spot is located near the pectoral fin.
The caudal fin is dark with a pale posterior margin.
Females are yellowish brown to brown, usually with scattered light spots and dark brown spots on the side of the body.
Juveniles resemble females but usually also have a broad white stripe extending from the chin to the caudal peduncle.
This species inhabits estuaries, seagrass beds, and rocky and algal reefs with dense vegetation.
Newly hatched filefish often reside under floating algae rafts, juveniles live in seagrasses, while adults are found in deeper reefs.
Unfortunately, the life span of these animals is relatively short at only two to three years.
The species name "vittiger" is composed of the Latin "vitta" = band, stripe, and "ger" = to bear, and refers to the broad white stripe on juveniles that runs from the chin to the caudal peduncle, "an irregular but broad longitudinal band extending on each side from the snout to the tail."
Synonyms:
Acanthaluteres guntheri (MacLeay, 1881)
Cantherines guntheri MacLeay, 1881
Monacanthus vittiger Castelnau, 1873
Penicipelta vittiger (Castelnau, 1873)
