Teleostei (teleosts) >
Tetraodontiformes (Puffers and filefishes) >
Monacanthidae (Filefishes)
Etymology: venusta: Name meaning 'beautiful', referring to its vivid coloration.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 20 - ? m (Ref. 9002). Subtropical
Indo-West Pacific: widespread in southern Australia.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 21.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9002)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal soft rays (total): 34; Anal soft rays: 31 - 32; Vertebrae: 20. Diagnosis: Head relatively acute, with upper profile of snout concave. First dorsal spine armed with small barbs, originating over posterior half of eye. Scales on body small, each armed with 1 strong central spinule capped with a fleshy papilla, giving the skin a coarse feel. Caudal peduncle unarmed. Color pattern consists of 4-5 brown longitudinal body stripes on a white background, 2 of which continue anteriorly on head and posteriorly on upper and lower rays of caudal fin (Re. 35708).
Body shape (shape guide): short and / or deep.
Found mostly in deep coastal reefs, in sponge areas (Ref. 9002). Young are mainly found with kelp (Ref. 9002).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Kuiter, R.H., 1993. Coastal fishes of south-eastern Australia. University of Hawaii Press. Honolulu, Hawaii. 437 p. (Ref. 9002)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5039 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01995 (0.00956 - 0.04164), b=2.93 (2.76 - 3.10), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.9 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (11 of 100).
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Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 31.8 [12.8, 115.5] mg/100g; Iron = 0.675 [0.303, 1.726] mg/100g; Protein = 18.8 [16.4, 20.9] %; Omega3 = 0.179 [0.082, 0.358] g/100g; Selenium = 17.2 [7.1, 40.6] μg/100g; VitaminA = 40.5 [9.9, 171.9] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.85 [0.52, 1.44] mg/100g (wet weight);