Aluterus monoceros

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Vernacular names
English : Unicorn leatherjacket filefish
French : Bourse licorne

Classification
Class : Teleostei
Order : Tetraodontiformes
Family : Monacanthidae
Notes : No subspecies known.

Identification
This species reaches a body length of 76 cm for a weight of 2.7 kg. Unmistakable. Oval-shaped, laterally compressed body with elongated head and small mouth. Silvery grey coloration with faint brown spots on back. Yellowish fins.

Range and habitat
Circumtropical, Western Atlantic from USA to Argentina, eastern Atlantic around west African coasts, East African coasts and Pacific from Guatemala to Chile. Often found near weed rafts and sandy bottoms, less than 10 m deep.

Conservation
IUCN RED LIST : LEAST CONCERN
CITES : Not Listed
Status : The species is still fairly common in its huge range. It’s caught for food in parts of its range but it isn’t considered a threat for its survival.
Ex-Situ Programs : None known

Observation

 

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