Aluterus schoepfii (Walbaum, 1792)
Orange filefish
Aluterus schoepfii
photo by Johnson, L.

Family:  Monacanthidae (Filefishes)
Max. size:  61 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 3 - 900 m
Distribution:  Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia (Canada), Bermuda, and northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. Eastern Atlantic: Cape Blanc, Mauritania to Angola (Ref. 3592).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 2-2; Dorsal soft rays (total): 32-39; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 35-41. Pelvic terminus always absent; head and body with numerous small round orange or orange-yellow spots; lips often blackish (Ref. 13442).
Biology:  Usually found over bottoms with seagrass, sand, or mud (Ref. 3790). Juveniles are associated with floating Sargassum. Solitary or in pairs (Ref. 9710). Feeds on a variety of plants, including algae and seagrasses (Ref. 3790). Generally considered as trash fish, rarely consumed (Ref. 3790). Traded as an aquarium fish at CearĂ¡, Brazil (Ref. 49392).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 27 February 2014 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  reports of ciguatera poisoning


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