About Aluterus scriptus (Osbeck, 1765)
Aluterus scriptus is a medium-sized fish that can reach a maximum length of 110 cm (3.6 ft). Its body is shaped like an elongated oval, and is strongly compressed laterally. The base body color is either olive-brown or grey, and this shifts to match the fish’s surrounding environment. Irregular blue lines and spots are scattered across the body, with additional black spots that are concentrated mostly on the head. Similar to octopuses, this species can change its color very quickly to match its background. Individuals observed in the Virgin Islands have been recorded lying flat on sand and turning completely pure white, or changing to other matching colors. The mouth is small, positioned at the tip of the fish’s pointed snout. Like all members of the order Tetraodontiformes, Aluterus scriptus lacks pelvic fins. It has two distinct dorsal spines: the first, anterior spine is long, slender, and erectile, and sits just above the eyes. The second spine is small and not easily visible, but it locks the first spine in place when the first is erected. The rounded caudal fin is fairly long, and can be extended into a fan shape. Juvenile Aluterus scriptus have yellow bodies marked with black spots. This species has a circumtropical distribution, and is found in tropical waters across the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. This filefish inhabits lagoons, coral and rocky reefs, seaweed fields, pinnacles, wrecks, and open water.
