Sand Tilefish

Q: Where can you find Sand Tilefish?

Sand Tilefish can be found in: Atlantic Ocean East, Honduras East, Costa Rica, Cuba West, Panama East, USA East, Mexico South East, USA South East, Costa Rica East, Atlantic Ocean West, Venezuela, Belize, Lesser Antilles, Mexico East, Cuba East, Colombia North, Nicaragua East, Guatemala East, Bermuda, Caribbean Sea, Trinidad & Tobago, Gulf of Mexico, Dominican Republic, USA, Atlantic Ocean, Honduras, Cuba, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Jamaica, French Guiana, Puerto Rico, Suriname, Haiti, Bahamas, Panama, Colombia, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Virgin Islands (U.S.), Virgin Islands (U.K.).

Malacanthus plumieri

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Max Size

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Max Weight

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Max Depth

153 m

Malacanthus plumieri is a species of tilefish.

Description

It has a long body. It varies in color from yellowish white to light bluish gray. Head is with light yellow and bluish markings. It has long dorsal and ventral fins. It has a crescent yellow tail, with a dark area on the upper central part. Max length is 70 cm, common length is 50 cm. Max published weight is 1 kg.

Distribution

Western Atlantic: North Carolina (USA), Gulf of Mexico, and throughout the Caribbean to Rio de la Plata, Uruguay. Southeast Atlantic: Ascension Island.

Habitat

It is primarily a shallow-water benthic species found on sand and rubble bottoms. Builds mounds of rubble and shell fragments near reefs and grass beds. It enters its mound head first when frightened. It feeds mainly on stomatopods, fishes, polychaete worms, chitons, sea urchins, sea stars, amphipods and shrimps. Tends to bite when handled.