Where Does Planehead Filefish Live?

Planehead Filefish lives in specific habitats. Knowing where to look helps you find and identify it.

Where to find Planehead Filefish

Water type

saltwater

Depth

Typically found in shallow coastal waters from 1 to 100 meters (3 to 330 feet), though occasionally deeper.

Environment

Prefers areas with abundant vegetation, such as seagrass beds (e.g., *Thalassia*), algal mats, and rocky or coral reefs with dense algal growth. Also found around jetties, pilings, and other structures. Juveniles often associate with floating Sargassum weed.

Geographic range

Western Atlantic Ocean, from Nova Scotia, Canada, south to Bermuda, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and along the coast of South America to Brazil. Also reported in the Eastern Atlantic, including the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands, and occasionally in the Mediterranean Sea, likely as a Lessepsian migrant.

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