Genus: Stephanolepis, Bristletail Filefish, Filefishes

STEPHANOLEPIS

FILEFISHES

Body deep, compressed; a relatively short pointed snout; a small mouth that opens at front; teeth moderately strong, six in outer row on top jaws and six in a single row on bottom jaws; gill opening a short slit on side before pectoral base; 2 dorsal fins, 1st with II spines, 1st spine over rear 1/2 of eye, long, with hooked spines along its rear edge, does not fold down into a deep groove, erectile, can be locked in position by small 2nd spine; second dorsal fin soft ray elongate in male; pelvic fin rudiment evident as a spine protruding from a group of enlarged scales, those scales flexible dorsoventrally; scales minute, innumerable, skin rough; tail base without spiny scales, skin same as rest of body; male with patch of bristles on tail base; skin flap between pelvis and anus relatively small.

A tropical genus from the Atlantic, W Pacific and W Indian Ocean with 5 species. Two W Atlantic species in the Greater Caribbean.