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Broom filefish (Amanses scopas) — Monacanthidae

Broom filefish

Amanses scopas
Family: Monacanthidae
LC · Least Concern

The Broom filefish (Amanses scopas) is a saltwater fish of the family Monacanthidae that grows up to 20 cm.

Length
20 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–18.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

The broom filefish is a filefish from the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea to Mozambique and east to the Society and Tuamotu islands, north to Japan. The species grows to about 20 cm and has a brown body with about twelve narrow, dark cross-bars. Males bear a bundle of long bristly spines on the tail base resembling a broom, females a brush-like patch. It lives on clear coral reefs with rubble and feeds on coral polyps. The fish is harmless to humans and is assessed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Broom filefish?

The Broom filefish has a flattened, disc-shaped body, is mainly brown and shows a vertical stripes pattern.

Where does the Broom filefish live?

The Broom filefish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Broom filefish get?

The Broom filefish grows to a maximum of about 20 cm.

Is the Broom filefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Broom filefish is harmless to humans.

Is the Broom filefish edible?

The Broom filefish is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Bezem-vijlvis verified
English name
Broom filefish verified
Scientific name
Amanses scopas
Family
Monacanthidae
Other names
Broom filefish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
20.0 verified
Body shape
Flat / disc-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Pattern
Vertical bars sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
18.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
Yes sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
Yes sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

More from the family Monacanthidae

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