The Tetraodontiformes are an order of highly derived ray-finned fish, also called the Plectognathi. Sometimes these are classified as a suborder of the order Perciformes. The Tetraodontiformes are represented by 10 extant families and at least 349 species overall; most are marine and dwell in and around tropical coral reefs, but a few species are found in freshwater streams and estuaries. They have no close relatives, and descend from a line of coral-dwelling species that emerged around 80 million years ago.
The filefish (Monacanthidae) are a diverse family of tropical to subtropical tetraodontiform marine fish, which are also known as foolfish, leatherjackets or shingles. They live in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Filefish are closely related to triggerfish, pufferfish and trunkfish.
Amanses scopas, also known as the broom filefish, is a filefish, the only species in the genus Amanses of the family Monacanthidae. It is also called brush-sided leatherjacket in Australia or broom leatherjacket in Christmas Island.
The blotchy swellshark or Japanese swellshark is a common species of catshark, belonging to the family Scyliorhinidae. The Blotchy swellshark is found at depths of 90–200 m (300–660 ft) in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, from Japan to Taiwan. It is benthic in nature and favors rocky reefs. Reaching 1.4 m (4.6 ft) in length, this thick-bodied shark has a broad head, large mouth, and two unequally-sized dorsal fins positioned far back past the pelvic fins. It can be identified by its dorsal coloration, consisting of seven brown "saddles" and extensive darker mottling on a light tan background. This species has often been confounded with the draughtsboard shark and the Sarawak pygmy swellshark in scientific literature.
Aiptasia is a genus of a symbiotic cnidarian belonging to the class Anthozoa. Aiptasia is a widely distributed genus of temperate and tropical sea anemones of benthic lifestyle typically found living on mangrove roots and hard substrates. These anemones, as well as many other cnidarian species, often contain symbiotic dinoflagellate unicellular algae of the genus Symbiodinium living inside nutritive cells. The symbionts provide food mainly in the form of lipids and sugars produced from photosynthesis to the host while the hosts provides inorganic nutrients and a constant and protective environment to the algae. Species of Aiptasia are relatively weedy anemones able to withstand a relatively wide range of salinities and other water quality conditions. In the case of A. pallida and A. pulchella, their hardiness coupled with their ability to reproduce very quickly and out-compete other species in culture gives these anemones the status of pest from the perspective of coral reef aquarium hobbyists. These very characteristics make them easy to grow in the laboratory and thus they are extensively used as model organisms for scientific study. In this respect, Aiptasia have contributed a significant amount of knowledge regarding cnidarian biology, especially human understanding of cnidarian-algal symbioses, a biological phenomenon crucial to the survival of corals and coral reef ecosystems. The dependence of coral reefs on the health of the symbiosis is dramatically illustrated by the devastating effects experienced by corals due to the loss of algal symbionts in response to environmental stress, a phenomenon known as coral bleaching.
Aluterus schoepfii, the orange filefish, is a species of fish in the family Monacanthidae. The species can also be listed under the family Balistidae. They can reach a maximum size of 62 centimetres (24 in) although they are common to 40 centimetres (16 in).
Stephanolepis is a genus of bony fish in the family Monacanthidae, the filefishes. Members of this genus are unusual-shaped fish and have a very rough skin which gives them their common name. They are laterally flattened and deep bodied with long dorsal and anal fins and a fan-shaped tail. They have a mouth at the tip of the projecting snout and a long spine on the top of the head.
Stephanolepis cirrhifer, commonly known as the thread-sail filefish, is a species of marine fish in the family Monacanthidae. It is found in the western Pacific, in an area that ranges from northern Japan to the East China Sea, to Korea. The fish grows to a maximum length of about 12 inches, and consumes both plant material and small marine organisms like skeleton shrimp. S. cirrhifer is host of the parasite Peniculus minuticaudae. Some minor genetic differentiation between S. cirrhifer born in the wild and those bred in a hatchery for consumer use has been shown. The fish is edible and sold commercially for culinary purposes in many Asian countries.
The Southern pygmy leatherjacket is a filefish endemic to Australia, found in temperate coastal waters and reefs from southern Queensland around to south-west Western Australia, including Tasmania.
Aluterus is a genus of filefishes.
Cantherhines is a genus of filefishes.
Colurodontis paxmani is a species of filefish endemic to Australia. This species grows to a length of 12 centimetres (4.7 in) SL. This species is the only known member of the genus Colurodontis.
Enigmacanthus filamentosus is a species of filefish native to the Marshall Islands and the Seychelles. This species grows to a length of 3.6 centimetres (1.4 in) SL. This species is the only known member of the genus Enigmacanthus.
Monacanthus is a genus of filefishes.
Oxymonacanthus is a genus of filefishes native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Pervagor is a genus of filefishes native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Pseudalutarius nasicornis also known as the rhinoceros leatherjacket is a species of filefish native to the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. It occurs on reefs at depths of from 1 to 55 metres. This species grows to a length of 19 centimetres (7.5 in) TL. This species is the only known member of its genus.
Brachaluteres ulvarum, known commonly as the Japanese inflator filefish, is a species of marine fish in the family Monacanthidae.
Cantherhines macrocerus, commonly known as the whitespotted filefish, American whitespotted filefish, or whitespotted limefish, is a marine fish found along the coast of Florida extending southward into the Caribbean. This species is distinct and separate from Cantherhines dumerilii, the similarly named whitespotted filefish which is found in the Indian and Pacific oceans.
Arotrolepis filicauda is a filefish found in northern Western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, eastern Victoria, northern Tasmania, and southern Papua New Guinea, the sole member of the genus Arotrolepis.
