Scrawled Filefish

Aluterus scriptus

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Tetraodontiformes
Family: Monacanthidae
Genus: Aluterus
Species: Aluterus scriptus

The scrawled filefish (Aluterus scriptus) is a large, flat filefish covered in blue scribbles and dark spots. Its long, broom-like tail is distinctive.

It can reach over 1 m and feeds on algae, seagrass, hydroids and gorgonians. It often drifts head-down or swims slowly over the reef.

In the Philippines it is found on reefs and in open water near the reef, sometimes seen in pairs.

Photo: River Ahlquist, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist