Pseudomonacanthus macrurus

Nadya Kulagina Just a fish portrait. Pseudomonacanthus - ??? Nikon D800, Nikon 60mm micro, ISO100, 1/125, f/14, 1 x INON Z240 Lembeh, Indonesia

Ron Silver Where was this photo taken? Appears to be a Strapweed Filefish, Pseudomonacanthus macrurus

Padi Dan I think it's common but I just can't remember the name.

Pam Anderson Sea flounder..........Paralichthys dentatus

Pam Anderson Probably not,..ask Boomer!

Alex Tyrrell Strapweed Filefish

Pam Anderson Awww, I was just getting warmed up, but Alex Tyrrell beat me!!

Padi Dan Oh Sensei! Thank you!

Pam Anderson Pseudomonacanthus macrurus :) I got that! :)

Jim Garin Filefish, but it's name would depend on where taken. If Caribbean, try monacanthus ciliatus

Alex Tyrrell Jim, this fish lives only in Asia Pacific, so there is no Caribbean equivalent name!

Jim Garin Alex, there are lots of fish with identical appearance from Asia to the Caribbean..but almost all have different names, not because they are different, but because different people named them. This is one of them.

Alex Tyrrell Jim every species has a it's own unique name, always in latin. This name is given after a specimen has been taxonomical described. Common names can vary wildly from one region to the next, so they are not the most reliable to use. A common name for a fish in Australia can be different than what it is called in America. The latin name is the same worldwide. There is no Sprapweed Filefish in the Caribbean, this is only found in Indian & Pacific Oceans and connecting seas. There may be a type of Filefish that looks similar, but they are not the same and therefore have different names! It's like me saying a Polar Bear (ursus maritimus) from Yellowstone Park would be called a Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis). Doesn't really make sense! And doubt you'd find a Polar Bear in Yellowstone with it not being their habitat, the same as you wouldn't find a Strapweed Filefish in the Caribbean.

Arne Kuilman Ciliatus is lighter, less blotchy. Yellowish when juvenile and then continues horizontal stripes. Usually has a dark moon blotch behind under it's eye. Distinctive enough to differentiate from other filefish. And I agree with Alex as well. Latin names are unique.

Ole Johan Brett Monacanthus chinensis

Alan Duncan We have lots of these around Koh Phangan, Gulf of Thailand. I'm pretty sure this is actually Monacanthus chinensis. Here is what i believe to be the Strapweed Filefish (P. macrurus (although i originally thought it was P. peroni). https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=385488378170529&set=pb.146503415402361.-2207520000.1384511185.&type=3&theater

Alan Duncan The local Filefish are very difficult to differentiate due to their similar shape and ability to rapidly change colour/patterns. I believe P. macrurus has a slightly less "diamond" shape compared to M. chinensis. On the original post, the area from the dorsal spine to the beginning of the dorsal fin is significantly higher than the same area on the photo i posted (P. macrurus?).

Ole Johan Brett Howard Steele; it is.

Alan Duncan Nice collection you have there Howard. I see lots of M. chinensis (assuming that ID is confirmed). Their colour/pattern changes can be rapid, and they tend to do it to blend in with their surroundings. If they move across the sandy bottom, they'll change to a fairly plain grey/beige. As soon as they get into weeds, corals, etc., they'll revert back to "mottled" appearance in the original photograph. I've got literally hundreds of photos of them from beneath our local pier, in all manner of colours/patterns.

Jeffrey Low This is M chinensis.

Arne Kuilman Monacanthus chinensis

Blogie Robillo Is this filefish Acreichthys tomentosus?

Blogie Robillo Or maybe Pseudomonacanthus macrurus?

Blogie Robillo It was behaving like it was a dead leaf...

Arne Kuilman It's got more of the markings, tail and eye of Pseudomonacanthus macrurus.

Blogie Robillo Thanks, Arne, as always!

Carl-Johan Nilsson Very cool, never saw that color variation.