Stephanolepis hispidus
Planehead Filefish
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Tetraodontiformes (Pufferfishes and Allies)
Monacanthidae (Filefishes)
Stephanolepis
Stephanolepis hispidus (Planehead Filefish)
Description
This species account was compiled from
McEachran & Fechhelm (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Rectilinear profile, prominent pelvic spine, no groove behind dorsal fin spines. Snout moderately projects beyond head, more concave dorsally than ventrally. Jaw teeth acutely pointed; upper jaw teeth in two rows (3 outer, 2 inner), lower jaw teeth in single row of 3. Gill opening moderately oblique, slightly longer than pectoral fin base. Gill rakers on first arch 26-33. Measurements (% SL): head length 30%-41%, snout length 14%-28%, eye diameter 7%-17%, body depth 43%-66%. Pectoral fin usually with 12-14 rays. First dorsal spine denticulate anteriorly and laterally, with two rows of barbs posteriorly. Second dorsal fin with 29-35 rays, first ray filamentous in mature males. Pelvic spine distinct and flexible at base. Anal fin with 30-35 rays. Scales bear one or more spines, increasing with growth, and spines branched in specimens >30 mm SL. Adult males lack enlarged spines on caudal peduncle.
Tan, brown, or greenish, with dark blotches, spots, or lines. Bases of second dorsal fin and anal fin usually dark.
Distribution
Western Atlantic from Nova Scotia and Bermuda to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Antilles.
Habitat Associations
Tropical and warm temperate Atlantic, shallow water
Biology
Maximum known size is 250 mm TL
References
Longley and Hildebrand 1941 (as Monacanthus hispidus)
Berry and Vogele 1961
Hoese and Moore 1977, 1998 (as M. hispidus)
Robins and Ray 1986 (as M. hispidus)
Boschung 1992 (as M. hispidus)
Schaldach et al. 1997 (as M. hispidus)
Smith 1997
Vega-Cendejas et al. 1997 (as M. hispidus)
Smith-Vaniz et al. 1999
Matsuura 2002c
Comments On Stephanolepis hispidus