Paramonacanthus pusillus (Rüppell, 1829)
Faintstripe filefish
Paramonacanthus pusillus
photo by Khalaf, M.A.

Family:  Monacanthidae (Filefishes)
Max. size:  14.6 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 28 - 79 m
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea to South Africa and northern Australia (excluding the northeastern region), north to southern Japan.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 2-2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 25-30; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 24-29; Vertebrae: 19-19. Body width 2.0-2.8 in head length; body depth 1.9-3.0 in SL; head length 2.6-3.0 in SL; snout length 3.5-4.1 in SL; eye diameter 2.8-4.8 in head length (Ref. 33065). Description: Characterized further by first dorsal spine origin above posterior half of eye; second dorsal and anal fins elevated anteriorly; convex dorsal profile of snout in male, usually with prominent hump just in front of nostrils, slightly convex to straight in female and juvenile; rounded to double emarginate caudal fin, upper and lower lobe filamentous in male; depth of body at origin of anal fin 1.9-3.0 in SL, become more elongate with increase of growth (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Inhabits mud or sand bottoms of trawling grounds (Ref. 90102).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 18 July 2017 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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