Aluterus scriptus

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.[http://www.fishbase.org/summary/Aluterus-scriptus.html Aluterus scriptus, Scribbled leatherjacket filefish : gamefish, aquarium]. Fishbase.org (2016-07-20). Retrieved on 2016-11-10.

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

File: XRF-Aluterus scriptus.png

Aluterus scriptus is a medium size fish which can grow up to {{cvt|110|cm|ft}} in length.[http://eol.org/pages/205063/details Descriptions and articles about the Scrawled Filefish (Aluterus scriptus) – Encyclopedia of Life]. Eol.org (2007-09-24). Retrieved on 2016-11-10. 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 colors may quickly vary depending on background similar to an octopus's. Fish observed in the Virgin Islands might lie flat on the sand and become pure white or change to any of the other representative colors. 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.{{in lang|fr}} [http://doris.ffessm.fr/fiche2.asp?fiche_numero=989 DORIS – FFESSM – Biologie et plongée – Faune et flore sous-marines et dulcicoles]. Doris.ffessm.fr. Retrieved on 2016-11-10.

Aluterus scriptus is omnivorous and have a large choice for its meals like small crustaceans, algae, gorgonians, sea anemones, tunicates, fire coral, seagrasses and hydrozoans.{{cite web |url=https://sta.uwi.edu/fst/lifesciences/sites/default/files/lifesciences/images/Aluterus%20scriptus%20-%20Scrawled%20Filefish.pdf |title=Aluterus scriptus (Scrawled Filefish)|website=The Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago |access-date=4 June 2023}}

Aluterus scriptus is diurnal and is demersal. It is solitary and shy with divers and is rarely seen with others.

It contains palytoxin, which is 50 times more toxic than tetrodotoxin, the poison of puffer fish.

Monacanthidae - Aluterus scriptus.JPG|A. scriptus from French Polynesia

Scrawled Filefish.jpg|A. scriptus close-up view

Aluterus scriptus livrée d'intimidation.jpg|A. scriptus from Indian Ocean, Réunion

Scribbled filefish2.jpg|A. scriptus from North Pacific, Hawaii

Aluterus scriptus 211204.jpg|A. scriptus from Caribbean Sea, Dominican Republic

{{Commons category|Aluterus scriptus}}

• [http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=159491 WoRMS]
• [http://eol.org/pages/205063/details Encyclopedia of life]
• [http://www.fishbase.org/summary/Aluterus-scriptus.html Fishbase]
• {{sealifephotos|159491}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q1192880}}

Category:Monacanthidae

Category:Fish of the Atlantic Ocean

Category:Pantropical fish

Category:Fish described in 1765

Category:Taxa named by Pehr Osbeck