Planehead filefish (Stephanolepis hispidus)

Scientific name: Stephanolepis hispidus Linnaeus, 1766

The Planehead filefish (Stephanolepis hispidus) is a marine fish of the family Monacanthidae. Native range: Western Atlantic, Nova Scotia (Canada), Bermuda, and northern Gulf of Mexico to Uruguay. Eastern Atlantic: Canary Islands to Angola.

Biology

Found on sand or mud bottoms. Associated with Sargassum. Adults feed on benthic invertebrates. Edible but generally rejected by fishers.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Stephanolepis hispidus
Family: Monacanthidae (Filefishes)
Order: Tetraodontiformes (Puffers and Filefishes)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 27.5
Depth range: 0–293 m (0–961 ft)
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 293 m
Climate: Subtropical
Distribution: Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia (Canada), Bermuda, and northern Gulf of Mexico to Uruguay. Eastern Atlantic: Canary Islands to Angola.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Reports of ciguatera poisoning
Uses: Fisheries: subsistence fisheries; aquarium: commercial
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.37;)