Aluterus monoceros
Unicorn Filefish
NS
GNR
Collection Details
Specimens
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Tetraodontiformes (Pufferfishes and Allies)
Monacanthidae (Filefishes)
Aluterus
Aluterus monoceros (Unicorn Filefish)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Elliptical profile, no pelvic spine, slender caudal peduncle. Snout slightly concave, head slightly concave below chin. Jaw teeth acutely pointed; upper jaw teeth in two rows (3 outer, 2 inner), lower jaw teeth in single row of 3. Gill rakers on first arch about 31. Gill slit oblique, in front of and partially above pectoral fin base, about twice pectoral fin base length. Measurements (% SL): head length 27%–35%, snout length 23%–28%, eye diameter 4%–8%, body depth at anal fin origin 34%–44%. Pectoral fin usually with 14 or 15 rays. Second dorsal fin with 46 to 50 rays. Pelvic spine rudimentary in juveniles, absent in adults. Anal fin with 47 to 52 rays. Caudal peduncle longer than deep, lacks enlarged scales.
Gray to brown, mottled with dark blotches and marked with dark spots. Second dorsal and anal fins pale yellowish.
Distribution
Western Atlantic over continental and insular shelves from Massachusetts and Bermuda to Brazil, including the entire Gulf of Mexico. Rare in the Antilles.
Habitat Associations
Tropical and warm temperate seas, continental and insular shelves
Biology
Maximum known size is 600 mm TL
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).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external. Distinct pairing (Ref. 205).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2014-02-27. Resilience: Medium (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish.
References
Berry and Vogele 1961
Randall 1968a
Randall 1996
Hoese and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1998
Matsuura 1983u
Matsuura 2002c
Hutchins 1986
Hutchins 2001b
Robins and Ray 1986
Smith 1997
Smith-Vaniz et al. 1999
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Myers, R.F. (1991) Micronesian reef fishes. Second Ed. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 298 p.
Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene (1990) Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 506 p.
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.
Hutchins, J.B. (1986) Monacanthidae. p. 882-887. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Claro, R. (1994) Características generales de la ictiofauna. p. 55-70. In R. Claro (ed.) Ecología de los peces marinos de Cuba. Instituto de Oceanología Academia de Ciencias de Cuba and Centro de Investigaciones de Quintana Roo.
López-Peralta, R.H. and C.A.T. Arcila (2002) Diet composition of fish species form the southern continental shelf of Colombia. Naga, WorldFish Center Q. 25(3-4):23-29.
Allen, G.R. and M.V. Erdmann (2012) Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth, Australia: Universitiy of Hawai'i Press, Volumes I-III. Tropical Reef Research.
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