filefish, any of the shore-frequenting marine fishes of the family Monacanthidae, found in warm seas around the world. Close relatives of the triggerfishes, they are sometimes included with them in the family Balistidae.
Filefishes are small-mouthed and flattened from side to side, and they have two dorsal-fin spines, the first of which is large and erectile and can be locked upright by the smaller second spine. Filefishes also have small scales whose small spines give the skin a velvety or sandpapery feel, hence the name filefish. In some species, these scale spines are enlarged on the tail base, only or especially in the males. The small mouths of filefishes bear a few strong incisor-like teeth. The fishes use these teeth to break off pieces of coral on which they feed and to chisel holes into the shells of mollusks in order to extract the soft parts. The scrawled filefish (Aluterus scriptus) of worldwide distribution may grow about 100 cm (40 inches) long, but most filefishes are considerably smaller. The members of this family are not generally considered good to eat.