Introducing our October Fish of the Month, the Longnose Filefish, Oxymonacanthus longirostris!
Survey Regions: Longnose Filefish are found throughout the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans, from eastern Africa to Indonesia, Philippines, Micronesia, and the Solomon Islands, as well as Japan, Australia, and Fiji. Click these links to see reports in this REEF database for this species: Central Indo-Pacific (CIP), South Pacific (SOP), and Indian Ocean & Red Sea (IORS).
Size: They grow to about 10cm/4in.
Identifying Features: Longnose Filefish are light blue with rows of orange spots. They have a black spot on the tail and an elongated snout with an upturned mouth.
Fun Facts: Longnose Filefish live on shallow seaward reefs and lagoons. They are typically found in pairs among branching Acropora corals on which they feed.
Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for our next Fish of the Month.
Photo by Frank Krasovec (Photographed in Fiji, 2020 Discover the Sea Photo Contest submission, Fish Portrait category.)