Aluterus is a genus of filefishes. This genus is larger-bodied than many other monacanthids, with Aluterus scriptus being the largest filefish species, reaching 1.1 metres (3 ft 7 in) in total length.

Taxonomy

There are currently 4 recognized extant species in this genus:

SpeciesCommon nameImage
Aluterus heudelotii Hollard, 1855Dotterel filefish
Aluterus monoceros Linnaeus, 1758Unicorn leatherjacket filefish
Aluterus schoepfii Walbaum, 1792Orange filefish
Aluterus scriptus Osbeck, 1765Scribbled leatherjacket filefish

The fossil species †Aluterus shigensis Miyajima, Koike & Matsuoka, 2014 is known from the Middle Miocene of Nagano, Japan.

The following cladogram is based on a 2016 molecular study of filefish and triggerfish (Balistidae):

AluterusAluterus monoceros Aluterus scriptus Aluterus heudelotii Aluterus schoepfii
Aluterus monoceros
Aluterus scriptus Aluterus heudelotii Aluterus schoepfii
Aluterus scriptus
Aluterus heudelotii Aluterus schoepfii
Aluterus heudelotii
Aluterus schoepfii
Oxymonacanthus Monacanthus Stephanolepis
Oxymonacanthus
Monacanthus Stephanolepis
Monacanthus
Stephanolepis