is actually the case. Some filefish erect their dorsal spine and pelvis simultaneously to make removing them from a cave more difficult for predators.

The largest filefish species is the scrawled filefish (Aluterus scriptus) at up to 110 cm in length. Most species are less than 60 cm in length. Marked sexual dimorphism is seen in some species, with the sexes possessing different coloration, different body shapes; the males have larger caudal spines and