Mimic file fish

Scientific name : Paraluteres prionurus

Small white file fish, with 4 dark brown saddles, yellow tail, brown spots. Particularly the young specimens' colour pattern mimics exactly that of the puffer fish Canthigaster valentini (poisonous). In the adults the brown spots are fading, blue lines appear on the tail, the resemblance is less striking. 10 cm. This is probably the easiest to observe file fish, probably brave because it feel safe, due to the mimicry. In particular the young specimens mimic perfectly the colour pattern of the pufferfish Canthigaster valentini (poisonous). They are identified by the more compressed body, the dorsal spine (easily unnoticed if not lifted) and by the longer dorsal and anal fins.
This is a typical example of Batesian mimicry: a poisonous model, avoided by predators, is mimicked by an edible fish (the file fish), thus reducing predation risk. The mimicry is extended to behaviour: as the puffer fish swims slowly, doing little effort to avoid predators, the file fish does the same (infact it is among the few easy to observe file fishes).