Scrawled Filefish

Design

The scrawled filefish can stand its primary dorsal fin erect to lodge itself into a crack or crevice of a reef. This feature now is used partially as a defense mechanism, making it difficult for predators to remove the filefish to eat it.

Features

• This scrawled filefish has a body coloring from an olive-brown to a pale gray. It has blue lines and dots that are irregularly distributed over its body. Juveniles are yellowish.
• It also has a pronounced, tube-like mouth at the end of its snout.

Fun Facts

• Years ago, fishermen used filefish skin to light matches because the skin is so rough.
• A filefish will sometimes float in a vertical position to blend in to blades of seagrass and coral whips.
• Most species of filefishes are able to change their color to closely match their surroundings and are fairly secretive.
• The scrawled filefish is also known as the scribbled filefish.