Scrawled Filefish (juvenile)

Aluterus scriptus

Scrawled Filefish (juvenile) (Aluterus scriptus)

Max Size

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Max Weight

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Max Depth

120 m

Description

Aluterus scriptus is a marine fish belonging to the family Monacanthidae.

Other names: Broomtail Filefish or Scribbled Leatherjacket.

Description

Aluterus scriptus is a medium size fish which can grow up to 110 cm (3.6 ft) in length. The body shape looks like an elongated oval, strongly compressed. Its background body coloration is olive-brown or grey depending on its surrounding environment, irregular blue lines and spots are distributed on the body mixed with some black spots mainly on the head. The mouth is small and at the end of its pointed snout. Like all the Tetraodontiformes, it has no pelvic fin but has two particular dorsal spines; the first anterior one is long, slender and erectile, located just over the eyes, the second is small and not easy to see but it locks the first one when it is erected. The rounded caudal fin is quite long and can be displayed as a fan.

The juveniles have a yellow with black spots body coloration.

Distribution

This species has a circumtropical repartition, it can be found in the tropical waters from the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.

Habitat

This filefish can be observed in lagoons, coral and rocky reefs, seaweed fields,pinnacles, wrecks and also in open water.

Feeding

Aluterus scriptus is omnivorous and have a large choice for its meals like small crustaceans, algae, gorgonians, anemones, tunicates, fire coral...

Behaviour

Aluterus scriptus has a diurnal activity and is demersal. It is solitary and shy with divers and is rarely seen in couple or in group.

Where to Find

Egypt East Laccadive Islands Bonaire Mariana Islands Cocos Island +139 more in Seabook

Colors

white
black
brown
yellow
blue

Poisonous

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Habitat and Environment

Coral reef

Conservation status

(LC) Least concern

Social Behaviour

Couple

Solitary

Edible

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Similar Species

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Scrawled Filefish (juvenile) dangerous?

Scrawled Filefish (juvenile) is classified as: Risk of ciguatera poisoning. Always exercise caution and keep a safe distance.

Where can you find Scrawled Filefish (juvenile)?

Scrawled Filefish (juvenile) can be found in: Egypt East, Laccadive Islands, Bonaire, Mariana Islands, Cocos Island, Saudi Arabia West, Honduras East, Malaysia East, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Costa Rica, Taiwan, Guinea, Cuba West, Panama East, Easter Island, Malpelo Island, Costa Rica West, USA East, Mexico South East, Australia North, Marshall Islands, Canada East, USA South East, Costa Rica East, Malaysia West, Galapagos, Hawaii, Colombia West, Somalia East, Vanuatu, Sudan, Venezuela, Belize, Brunei, China, Ecuador, Myanmar, Eritrea, Australia, Chile, Hong Kong, Canada, Kenya, Senegal, Lesser Antilles, India, Israel, USA West, Revillagigedo Islands, Mexico West, Mexico East, Cuba East, Japan South, India East, India West, Thailand East, Thailand West, Panama West, Israel South, Oman, Oman East, Colombia North, Somalia North, Australia East, Nicaragua West, Nicaragua East, Guatemala West, Guatemala East, Honduras South, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Vietnam, Bermuda, Seychelles, Cambodia, Papua New Guinea, Nigeria, Liberia, Benin, Congo, New Zealand, Cameroon, Saint Thomas and Prince, Togo, Ghana, Trinidad & Tobago, French Polynesia, Bangladesh, Polynesia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Singapore, Tanzania, Malaysia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Dominican Republic, USA, Honduras, South Africa, Red Sea, Japan, Cuba, Indonesia, Chagos Islands, Mexico, Mozambique, Jordan, Palau, Philippines, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Micronesia, Egypt, Brazil, Tonga and Samoa, Portugal, Gambia, Yemen, Mascarene Islands, Madagascar, Jamaica, Kiribati, French Guiana, Pakistan, Djibouti, Sierra Leone, El Salvador, Puerto Rico, Comoros, Suriname, Fiji, Haiti, Bahamas, Thailand, Panama, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, Somalia, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Virgin Islands (U.S.), Virgin Islands (U.K.).

How deep does Scrawled Filefish (juvenile) live?

Scrawled Filefish (juvenile) can be found at depths of up to 120 meters.

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