Paramonacanthus sulcatus (Hollard, 1854)
Mudbank filefish
Paramonacanthus sulcatus
photo by Kamy Yeung@114°E Hong Kong Reef Fish Survey

Family:  Monacanthidae (Filefishes)
Max. size:  20 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  benthopelagic; marine; depth range 15 - 50 m
Distribution:  Western Pacific: South China Sea and Java Sea.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 2-2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 30-33; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 31-34; Vertebrae: 19-19. Body width 2.1-2.5 in head length; body depth 1.9-2.5 in SL; head length 2.8-3.1 in SL; snout length 4.1-4.5 in SL; eye diameter 2.7-3.9 in head length. Spinules forming prominent longitudinal series on side of body (Ref. 33065). Description: Characterized further by white to pale brown body color with mottled pattern of brown blotches; upper back below anterior part of soft dorsal fin usually with prominent circular blotch, and diffuse bars, one joining posterior part of soft dorsal and anal fins, and another across caudal peduncle; origin of first dorsal spine above posterior half of eye; second dorsal and anal fins elevated anteriorly; straight to convex dorsal profile of snout in male, lacking obvious hump in front of nostril, female and juvenile with straight to slightly concave dorsal profile; rounded to double emarginate caudal fin, upper and middle lobe filamentous in male (Ref. 90102).
Biology:  Inhabits muddy substrates in sheltered coastal bays (Ref. 48637). Also found in sand bottoms of trawling grounds in 15-50 m (Ref. 90102).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 18 July 2017 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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