Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
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)..
Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 3 - 900 m (Ref. 3592), usually ? - 50 m (Ref. 3592). Subtropical, preferred ?; 46°N - 27°S, 97°W - 13°E
Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia (Canada), Bermuda, and northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. Eastern Atlantic: Cape Blanc, Mauritania to Angola (Ref. 3592).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 61.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 26340); common length : 40.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3592)
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 Ceará, Brazil (Ref. 49392).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Distinct pairing (Ref. 205).
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)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30911)
Human uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; aquarium: commercial
More information
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Estimates of some properties based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.5625 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Trophic Level (Ref.
69278): 2.0 ±0.1 se; Based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref.
69278): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate to high vulnerability (55 of 100) .