Nature is full of beautiful patterns and colors that inspire humans in our designs. While sometimes unintentional, it’s hard to deny the resemblance between an animal and an object. One example is the Croc sandal, which bears a striking resemblance to a particular fish. This video by Rumble Viral shows a scrawled filefish floating around with beautiful coloring! Read on to learn more about this fish and its beautiful patterns.
Scrawled filefish come in a variety of colors and patterns.
©Miroslav Halama/Shutterstock.com
What Are Scrawled Filefish?
The scrawled filefish is a species of filefish. They belong to the Monacanthidae family, which includes other tropical fish. They get their name from their body texture and build. As their name suggests, the skin of these fish is rough like sandpaper, with a tough and leathery feel. The “scrawled” part of their name likely comes from the strange design of their patterns. They have strange, scribble-like lines across their bodies, and when paired with their bright colors, they can blend in well with their coral reef surroundings. Where they start to resemble crocs is in the holes on their body. The resemblance to Crocs sandals comes from the scrawled filefish’s unique patterns and texture, which can look similar to the dotted and textured surface of the footwear. While fish have gills covered by an operculum, these do not appear as visible holes on their bodies.
These filefish inhabit tropical marine waters worldwide, particularly in the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. This is due to the abundance of coral reefs and seagrass in these regions. The fish use their colorings to blend in with these environments, taking advantage of the food and shelter provided in the reef. Their spots and markings provide excellent camouflage and differ greatly between individuals. As seen in the video, some display brighter hues of pink and blue, while others are cooler-toned with olive and brown shades. Similar to octopuses, the scrawled filefish can slightly alter its colors to match its surroundings. Brighter colors are used to scare away predators, while duller colors are displayed during calmer periods.
Scrawled filefish are a decent size, growing to roughly 18 to 30 inches long. They are long, slender fish that can weigh up to a few pounds. Scrawled filefish are primarily carnivorous, feeding mostly on benthic invertebrates such as sponges, gorgonians, tunicates, and hydrozoans, though they may also consume some algae and seagrass. They also have multiple predators that they have to watch out for. These include sharks, snappers, and groupers, as well as other large reef predators. Their impressive camouflage helps them hide from predators, increasing their chances of survival.
