Orange filefish

Aluterus schoepfii, the orange filefish, is a species of fish in the family Monacanthidae.

Habitat

Orange filefish are benthic fish distributed in a depth range of 3 to 900 metres (10 to 2,953 ft), but usually in shallow waters. These fish are usually found solitary or in pairs over sea bottoms with sea grass, sand, or mud. Juveniles can be found associated with floating Sargassum.

Distribution

Orange filefish are distributed along the Western Atlantic from Nova Scotia through Bermuda and the northern Gulf of Mexico to Brazil. Distribution along the Eastern Atlantic ranges from Cape Blanc (Mauritania) to Angola.

Behaviour

Orange filefish feed on a variety of aquatic vegetation, including sea grasses and algae, as well as a variety of marine invertebrates, such as crustaceans, tunicates, sponges, jellies, sea anemones.