Honeycomb Filefish

Cantherhines pardalis is a species of fish in the family Monacanthidae, commonly known as the honeycomb filefish, honeycomb leatherjacket, or wire-netting filefish. It is primarily found in the 🌊 Indian Ocean, eastern Atlantic, and western Pacific regions, excluding the waters around Hawaii (🇺🇸 United States) where it is replaced by Cantherhines sandwichiensis.

This particular fish can grow up to 25 centimeters (9.8 inches) in length, although its average size is around 15 centimeters (5.9 inches). Its dorsal fin is divided into two parts, with the anterior section containing two long, curved spines and the posterior section consisting of thirty-two to thirty-six soft rays. The first dorsal spine is positioned directly above the middle of the eye, and the fish's back features a deep groove into which the spine folds down. The anal fin lacks spines but has twenty-nine to thirty-two soft rays. Cantherhines pardalis is distinguished by three color variations: a uniform dark brown, a mottled grayish-brown, and a gray background color with intricate polygonal markings. Like its close relatives, C. pullus found in tropical Atlantic reefs and C. sandwichiensis from Hawaii (🇺🇸 United States), it possesses a prominent white spot at the base of the rear of both the second dorsal fin and the anal fins.

This fish resides in tropical marine waters surrounding reefs and is typically found at depths of up to 20 meters (66 feet), occasionally venturing deeper. It is known to be a timid and solitary creature that feeds on benthic organisms. Both juvenile and adult individuals may occasionally drift with plants and algae, including rafts of Sargassum.