> Tetraodontiformes (Puffers and filefishes) > Monacanthidae (Filefishes)
Etymology: Aluterus:Name from Greek meaning not free or detached, referring to the pelvis that does not form a spiny project (as it does in triggerfish) (R. Chandler, pers. Comm. 10/2014).. More on author: Linnaeus.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Οικολογία
Circumtropical. Western Atlantic: Massachusetts, USA to Argentina (Ref. 36453). Eastern Atlantic: west coast of tropical Africa (Ref. 3592). Eastern Pacific: Guatemala to Chile (Ref. 9068); probably in Mexico (Ref. 9318). Western Indian Ocean: Mozambique and South Africa (Ref. 4421). Recently recorded from Reunion (Ref. 53568).
Μέγεθος / Βάρος / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm Max length : 76.2 cm TL αρσενικό/απροσδιόριστο; (Ref. 26340); common length : 40.0 cm TL αρσενικό/απροσδιόριστο; (Ref. 3467); μεγ. δημοσιευμένο βάρος: 2.7 kg (Ref. 40637)
Ραχιαίες άκανθες (συνολικά) : 2; Μαλακές ραχιαίες ακτίνες (συνολικά) : 45 - 52; Εδρικές άκανθες: 0; Μαλακές εδρικές ακτίνες: 47 - 53. Rudimentary pelvic spine disappears in large specimen (Ref. 36453). Snout convex in adults (Ref. 1602). Sandy to grey with small brown spots above; soft dorsal and anal fins pale yellowish to brownish; caudal membrane blackish brown (Ref. 4421).
Occasionally in shallow water by steep drop-offs. Solitary or in pairs, occasionally in groups of five or six, at less than 10 m depth. Juveniles are pelagic, seen under floating objects (Ref. 9318, 48637). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Adults and juveniles are rarely seen near reefs. Juveniles often with large jellies and these may bring them close to reefs and adults may nest on sandflats adjacent to reefs in deep water. At other times, the adults may form large schools under weed-rafts that usually form during the wet season (Ref. 48637). Feed on benthic organisms (Ref. 30573).
Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Αναπαραγωγή | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Προνύμφες
Harmelin-Vivien, M.L. and J.-C. Quéro, 1990. Monacanthidae. p. 1061-1066. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 3592)