Fish Facts III

Leatherjacket fish are of the family Monacanthidae (leatherjackets and triggerfishes). Monocanthids are related to puffers but differ by having a body that's flat and compressed rather than round. Also, their distinctive serrated dorsal spine gives the group its common name of filefishes and triggerfishes. One species of leatherjackets, the unicorn leatherjacket (Aluterus monoceros), feeds on a wide range of bottom dwellers and is occasionally implicated in ciguatera outbreaks -- despite the species being a major Chinese export. Photo courtesy Chris Yu.