SPADEFISH
EPHIPPIDAE
Atlantic Spadefish
Chaetodipterus faber
    Ecological Descriptors
Habitat Size (cm) Diet Behaviour Sex 
Pel, Co, R, Br 90 Cru, Mol, Wor, Pla Sh F
 
 
Description:
Adults: Body a
highly laterally compressed disc. Head short, snout very short and blunt, with a small mouth. Silvery white to greyish with six black bars on head, side and tail base. Fins dusky blackish.
Juveniles: Coppery brown, with irregular dark bars and scattered lights spots.


Ecology
Occurs along coasts over wrecks, reefs and pilings and brackish lagoons. It also occurs around buoys, mangroves, under bridges and in harbors and often circles divers. Juveniles can be seen abundant inshore and are often found in shallow water mimicking dead leaves or floating debris. Adults occur in large schools of up to 500 individuals and feeds on benthic invertebrates like crustaceans, mollusks, annelids, cnidarians as well as plankton.

Life Cycle:
Females reach maturity at age one and are usually around 13.5 cm, while males reach maturity before age one. It spawns between May-October and some females spawn serially during this time. Lives for at least 8 years.
Atlantic Spadefish
Atlantic Spadefish
Atlantic Spadefish
Juvenile
(C) Frank Krasovac
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