Species: Cantherhines macrocerus, Whitespotted filefish

Cantherhines macrocerus (Hollard, 1853)

Whitespotted filefish

Body oblong, deep, compressed; a long pointed snout; a small mouth that opens at front; teeth moderately strong, six in outer row on top jaw and six or less on outer row on bottom jaw; gill opening a short slit on side before pectoral base; 2 dorsal fins, 1st with II spines, 1st spine over front ½ of eye,  robust, relatively straight, with barbed rear side, can be locked in position by small 2nd spine, folds down into deep groove on top of back; 2nd dorsal fin 34-36; anal fin 29-32; pectoral rays usually 14; median fins rays unbranched; two pairs of strong spines on tail base; tail fin edge straight to rounded; pelvic fins present as a spine protruding from a patch of large scales, that patch fixed, not moveable vertically; lower belly flap large; scales minute, innumerable, skin rough; no patch of enlarged scales above pectoral base; lateral line inconspicuous.