Species: Aluterus heudelotii, Dotterel filefish

Aluterus heudelotii Hollard, 1855

Dotterel filefish

Body a very compressed elongated oval; a long pointed snout; upper and lower profiles of head concave; eye near upper head profile, relatively near dorsal fin (distance between them 4.6-6.6%SL); a small, upturned mouth that opens above center line; teeth moderately strong, 6 in outer row on top jaw and 6 or less on outer row on bottom jaw; gill opening a short slit on side before pectoral base; 2 dorsal fins, 1st with II spines, 1st long, slender, smooth, over eye, erectile, can be locked in position by minute 2nd spine; second dorsal fin  36-41 rays; anal rays 39-41; pectoral rays modally 12-13; median fins rays unbranched; pelvic fins absent, a rudimentary pelvic spine may be present; no large scales encasing area where pelvics should be; tail fin relatively short, less than snout, with a bluntly straight edge; scales minute, skin rough, like sand-paper, but relatively smooth; no patch of enlarged scales above pectoral base; lateral line inconspicuous.