Aluterus scriptus (Osbeck, 1765)
Scribbled leatherjacket filefish
Aluterus scriptus
photo by Wirtz, P.

Family:  Monacanthidae (Filefishes)
Max. size:  110 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 2,500.0 g
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 3 - 120 m
Distribution:  Circumtropical.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 2-2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 43-50; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 46-52. Snout concave (Ref. 1602); olive brown to grey in color, juveniles may be yellowish brown with dark spots (Ref. 4421). Elongate, strongly compressed filefish; tan with blue lines and spots. Caudal fin rounded (Ref. 26938) and long (Ref. 13442). Gill opening oblique, pelvic terminus rudimentary or absent; body and head with scattered small black spots (Ref. 13442).
Biology:  Inhabit lagoon and seaward reefs (Ref. 9710). Occasionally are seen under floating objects (Ref. 1602). Juveniles may travel with weed rafts in open ocean for a long time and reaching a large size. Adults are usually seen along deep coastal slopes or outer reef drop-offs in about 20 meters depth (Ref. 48637). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Feed on algae, seagrass, hydrozoans, gorgonians, colonial anemones, and tunicates. Caught at the surface using a hand net (Ref. 26165).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 24 February 2014 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  reports of ciguatera poisoning
Country info:   
 


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