Planehead Filefish, Stephanolepis hispidus

Planehead Filefish, Stephanolepis hispidus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, March 2023. Length: 16 cm (6.3 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of James LaFontaine, Long Island, New York.

Planehead Filefish, Stephanolepis hispidus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Fort Lauderdale, Florida, December 2013. Length: 13 cm (5.1 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Eli (obsessiveangling.wordpress.com).

Planehead Filefish, Stephanolepis hispidus. Fish caught from within the Phil Foster Park, Riviera Beach, Florida, June 2023. Length: 13 cm (5.1 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Chris Moore, Peoria, Arizona.

Planehead Filefish, Stephanolepis hispidus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Big Pine Key, Florida, April 2019. Length: 14 cm (5.5 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Luke Ovgard, Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Planehead Filefish, Stephanolepis hispidus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Fort Lauderdale, Florida, December 2013. Length: 14 cm (5.5 inches). Catch, photograph, and identification courtesy of Josh Leisen (joshadventures.com), Gaylord, Michigan.

Planehead Filefish, Stephanolepis hispidus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, March 2023. Length: 16 cm (6.3 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Aidan Perkins, Long Island, New York.

Planehead Filefish, Stephanolepis hispidus. Fish caught from coastal waters off Key West, Florida, August 2014. Length: 22 cm (8.7 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of Dean Kimberly, Atlanta, Georgia.

Planehead Filefish, Stephanolepis hispidus. Fish caught off the Dania Pier, Dania, Florida, December 2015. Length: 18 cm (7.1 inches). Catch, photograph and identification courtesy of George Brinkman, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

The Planehead Filefish, Stephanolepis hispidus, is a member of the Filefish or Monacanthidae Family, that is also known as the Sargassum Filefish and in Mexico as lija aspera. Globally, there are five species in the genus Stephanolepis, of which three are found in Mexican waters, all in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Planehead Filefish has a deep laterally compressed body. They are a mottled pale brown, olive or green color on a light colored background with two darker brown blotches and streaks on their sides. They are covered with minute scales and their skin is rough to the touch. Their head has an elongated snout with a terminal mouth giving them a concave profile. They have large yellow eyes that are set high on their head. Their anal fin is without spines and has 30 to 35 rays; their caudal fin is large and fan-shaped with 2 darker colored bands; their dorsal fin has 2 spines, the first being strongly barbed and the second being minute with a long base, and 29 to 35 rays; their pectoral fins are small; and, they do not have pelvic fins. They are a dimorphic species with males having an elongated second dorsal ray.

The Planehead Filefish is a benthic species that is found at depths up to 300 m (980 feet). They inhabit reefs and sandy and muddy sea floors and are often associated with Sargassum Seaweed. The Planehead Filefish reach a maximum of 27 cm (11 inches) in length but more commonly measure around 17 cm (6.7 inches). They spawn during summer months and have a lifespan of up to 3 years. The Planehead Filefish  is poorly studied with very limited information available about their lifestyle and behavioral patterns including specific details on age, growth, longevity, movement patterns, diet, habitat use, and reproduction.

The Planehead Filefish has a wide global distribution being found in the Eastern Atlantic (Angola and the Canary Islands) and the Western Atlantic (Canada to Uruguay). In Mexican waters they are a resident of the Atlantic Ocean and found throughout the Gulf of Mexico.

The Planehead Filefish is easily confused with the Pygmy Filefish, Stephanolepis setifer (straight head profile; anal and dorsal fins with 27 to 29 rays). They are also similar to several of the juvenile Triggerfish, which have 3 dorsal spines versus 2 for the Filefish.

From a conservation perspective the Planehead Filefish is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. They are utilized for human consumption in some cultures. They became a targeted species in the 1980’s being caught primarily in fish traps. They are currently suffering from overfishing in some parts of their range. The Planehead Filefish are also used in the aquarium trade and are available for purchase over the internet.