 = Stephanolepis cirrhifer = 
 
 Stephanolepis cirrhifer , commonly known as the thread @-@ sail filefish , is a species of marine fish in the family <unk> . It is found in the western Pacific , in an area that ranges from northern Japan to the East China Sea , to Korea . Other common names for the fish include " <unk> " ( Japanese ) and " <unk> @-@ chi " ( Korean ) . The fish grows to a maximum length of about 12 inches ( 30 centimetres ) , and consumes both plant material and small marine organisms like skeleton shrimp . S. cirrhifer is host of the parasite <unk> <unk> . Some minor genetic differentiation between S. cirrhifer born in the wild and those bred in a <unk> for consumer use has been shown . The fish is edible and sold commercially for culinary purposes in many Asian countries . 
 
 = = Taxonomy = = 
 
 The fish was first described in 1850 by <unk> Jacob <unk> and Hermann <unk> , when it was observed along with other fauna off the coasts of Japan . They initially placed it in the genus <unk> , as <unk> cirrhifer ; however , it was transferred to the genus Stephanolepis by David Starr Jordan and Henry <unk> Fowler in 1903 . The species name derives from the Latin word cirrhifer , which means " bearing fringes of hair " . 
 Other common names : 
 Japanese - <unk> 
 Korean - <unk> @-@ chi 
 English - File fish , <unk> fish , <unk> 
 Russian - Small striped <unk> ( <unk> <unk> <unk> ) 
 
 = = Description and habitat = = 
 
 Thread @-@ sail filefish grow to a maximum adult length of about 30 centimetres ( 12 inches ) . The first dorsal fin is a strong retractable ( folding backwards ) spine . The second dorsal fin and anal fin are soft . They have comparatively small pectoral fins and truncated , fan @-@ shaped tail fins . The dorsal and anal fins are colorless . Their second dorsal , anal and caudal fins rounded . In males , 1 @-@ 3 soft dorsal fin rays extended as filaments ; the first ray has a particularly long thread . The fish have a small abdominal spike . The fish are colored from light brown , to <unk> to light greenish @-@ beige , and are slightly patterned with irregular , broken stripes that range from medium brown to blackish . 
 Juveniles of the species usually seek shelter and safety from predators within clusters of drifting seaweed . The adult thread @-@ sail filefish usually reside near the <unk> , where the depth is around 10 metres ( 33 feet ) . The fish migrate wholly in ocean waters ( " <unk> " ) between their feeding and spawning grounds , which can cover a range of over 100 kilometres ( 62 miles ) . The spawning season lasts from May to August . Juveniles under 5 centimetres ( 2 @.@ 0 inches ) inhabit shallow water and feed on small crustaceans , <unk> and algae . Adult fish are mostly solitary and live among the coral and <unk> . 
 
 = = Ecology = = 
 
 The thread @-@ sail filefish is an <unk> , and can feed on plant or animal matter . Its diet includes kelp , but consists mainly of <unk> such as <unk> and skeleton shrimp , as well as the seagrass species <unk> marina . The fish also feeds upon smaller organisms , including <unk> and some species of <unk> tube worms . 
 Thread @-@ sail filefish feed on fish , <unk> , <unk> , <unk> , <unk> , <unk> , <unk> such as those of the genus <unk> ; and gelatinous <unk> , such as the moon <unk> <unk> sp. and the giant <unk> <unk> <unk> . 
 S. cirrhifer is host of the <unk> <unk> parasite <unk> <unk> , which mostly <unk> the fins of the female fish . 
 
 = = Uses = = 
 
 The thread @-@ sail filefish is cultured and sold commercially as food in Asian countries , including Korea and Japan . The demand for the fish in Korea is very high , and fisheries often employ the services of fish <unk> for breeding more of the fish to supplement and enhance the supply of stock . This has been done to such a degree that some . As many as 95 <unk> have been found to be unique to one of the populations , resulting from minor variations in certain genes that occur exclusively within either population ; genetic differentiation between S. cirrhifer born in the wild and those bred in a <unk> has apparently occurred . 
 
 