Galapagos Species Database
The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.
Aluterus scriptus
pez lija puntiazul, lija trompa, pez lija puntiazul., Scrawled filefish
Shades of gray tan, brown and olive: translucent dorsal and anal fins. Elongated body with long, brush-like tail. Can pale or darken to blend with background.To about 1 m
Habitat: Juveniles and occasioinally adults swim beneath foltsam in the open sea; usually solitary. Inhabits embayments and lagoons, also seaward reefs to depths of at least 80m.
Domain
Eukaryota
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Teleostei
Order
Tetraodontiformes
Family
Monacanthidae
Genus
Aluterus
Species
scriptus
Taxon category: Accepted
Syn.: Alutera armata Garman, 1903, Alutera picturata Poey, 1863, Alutera scripta (Osbeck, 1765), Aluteres pareva Lesson, 1831, Aluteres personatus Lesson, 1831, Aluterus renosus Hollard, 1855, Aluterus venosus Hollard, 1855, Balistes laevis Bloch, 1795, Balistes liturosus Shaw, 1804, Balistes ornatus Proce, 1822, Balistes scriptus Osbeck, 1765, Monacanthus scriptus (Osbeck, 1765), Osbeckia scripta (Osbeck, 1765), fide Appeltans et al. (2010)
Origin: Native
Distribution: Circumtropical; in the eastern Pacific from the lower Gulf of California to Ecuador including Cocos and Ecuador in Galápagos.
- Appeltans, W. Bouchet, P., Boxshall, G.A., Fauchald, K., Gordon, D.P., Hoeksema, B.W., Poore, G.C.B., van Soest, R.W.M., Stöhr, S., Walter, T.C., Costello, M.J. (eds.) (2010) World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). Available online at http://www.marinespecies.org.
- Constant, P. (2007) Marine Life of the Galapagos. The Diver's guide to Fishes, Whales, Dolphins and marine Invertebrates, 307 pp.
- Grove, J.S. Lavenberg, R.J. (1997) The Fishes of the Galapagos Islands. Stanford University Press, Stanford California. 862 pp.
- Humann, P. Deloach, N. (2003) Reef Fish Identification - Galapagos. New World Publication, Inc. Florida USA & Libri Mundi, Quito, Ecuador, 226 pp.
- IUCN (2023) The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2022-2 Https://www.iucnredlist.org
- IUCN (2010) IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 26 April 2010.
- McCosker, J.E. Rosenblatt, R.H. (2010) The fishes of the Galápagos Archipelago: an update. Proc. Calif. Acad. Sc., Ser. 4, vol. 61, Suppl. II, no. 11: 167-195.
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This page should be cited as follows:
"Galapagos Species Database, Aluterus scriptus", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=7840. Accessed 31 October 2026.