Sheepshead

Archosargus probatocephalus, the sheepshead, sheepshead seabream or convict fish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, the seabreams and porgies. This species is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean. The sheepshead is an important species to recreational and commercial fisheries.

Distribution

Archosargus probatocephalus is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean where it ranges from Nova Scotia to Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. It mainly occurs in coastal waters in the vicinity of rock pilings, jetties, mangrove roots, and piers, also in tidal creeks. It is euryhaline and shows a preference for brackish waters. It looks for warmer spots around springs and discharges of rivers and will occasionally enter freshwater in the winter.