Fish
Spadie Spadefish
Tripterodon orbis
A tall, disc-shaped reef fish with a small thick-lipped mouth, described from Zanzibar and ranging down the East African coast.
Also known as graafvis
- Habitat
- Coral and rocky reefs
The spadie is a deep, rounded, strongly compressed fish with a small mouth, thick lips and movable teeth set in several rows, the inner teeth embedded in fleshy pads. The dorsal spines become less prominent in large fish, while the first pelvic ray is drawn out into a filament.
Described from Zanzibar, it is a reef-associated species of the western Indian Ocean reaching into South African waters, where its tall silvery body and slow, deliberate movement make it easy to recognise.