Orangespotted Filefish, Cantherhines pullus
Orangespotted Filefish, Cantherhines pullus. Fish caught off the Anglin’s Fishing Pier, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Florida, March 2015. Length: 10.1 cm (4.0 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of George Brinkman, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Orangespotted Filefish, Cantherhines pullus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Boca Raton, Florida, June 2023. Length: 10.1 cm (4.0 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Chris Moore, Peoria, Arizona.
Orangespotted Filefish, Cantherhines pullus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Broward County, Florida, August 2021. Length: 12 cm (4.7 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Ben Cantrell, Sebastian, Florida.
Orangespotted Filefish, Cantherhines pullus. Fish caught off the Dania Pier, Dania, Florida, January 2016. Length: 10.7 cm (4.2 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of George Brinkman, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
Orangespotted Filefish, Cantherhines pullus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Boca Raton, Florida, June 2023. Length: 14 cm (5.5 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Chris Moore, Peoria, Arizona.
Orangespotted Filefish, Cantherhines pullus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Pompano Beach, Florida, December 2016. Length: 15 cm (5.9 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Eli (obsessiveangling.wordpress.com).
Orangespotted Filefish, Cantherhines pullus. Underwater photograph taken in coastal waters of Yal-Ku, Quintana Roo, April 2017. Photograph courtesy of Juan Rojo, Akumal.
The Orangespotted Filefish, Cantherhines pullus, is a member of the Filefish or Monacanthidae Family, and is known in Mexico as lila colorada. Globally, there are twelve species in the genus Cantherhines, of which three are found in Mexican waters, two in the Atlantic and one in the Pacific Ocean.
The Orangespotted Filefish has a deep oblong body that are 60% to 65% of standard length. They are an overall dark brown color. They have fine orange longitudinal lines on their head, alternating equal-sized pale and dark stripes on their body that converge at the caudal fin base, and small orange spots covering their body. They have a prominent white spot on their upper caudal base (which is absent in both fish photographed below). Their anal, caudal, and dorsal fins are a transparent yellowish color. Their head has a long pointed snout with a small terminal mouth equipped with strong teeth. Their anal fin has a long base and 29 to 32 rays; their caudal fin is rounded; they have two dorsal fins; the first with 2 spines and located directly above the eyes, and is relatively straight and robust, the second has a long base and is similar and opposite the anal fin, with 33 to 36 rays; their pectoral fins have 13 rays (a key to identification); and, their pelvic fins are minute. Their lateral line is inconspicuous and they are covered with minute scales and rough skin.
The Orangespotted Filefish is found in coral and rocky reefs at depths up to 53 m (175 feet). They reach a maximum of 20.0 cm (7.9 inches) in length. They feed on algae and a variety of invertebrates. They are normally found as solitary individuals or in pairs. They are shy fish that quickly take cover in caves and large crevices of the reef. They have the ability to change colors to match their surroundings and avoid predation. They are similar in appearance to triggerfish but their first dorsal spine cannot be locked in place. The Orangespotted Filefish is poorly studied with very limited information available about their lifestyle and behavioral patterns including specific details on age, growth, longevity, movement patterns, diet, habitat use, and reproduction.
The Orangespotted Filefish is a resident of all Mexican waters of the Atlantic Ocean including the Gulf of Mexico and the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in the Caribbean.
The Orangespotted Filefish is easy to identify due to the pattern of bars on its sides which separates it from a series of similarly-colored and similarly-sized filefish.
From a conservation perspective the Orangespotted Filefish is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. They are small in stature and of limited interest to most, however they are one gorgeous fish!