American Shoal

American Shoal is a shallow reef and lighthouse site off Sugarloaf Key in the lower Florida Keys, marked by an offshore steel-skeleton lighthouse built in the late 1800s. The surrounding reef is a typical Keys spur and groove formation with coral heads, sea fans, and sponges, and depths generally run shallow, from around 15 to 35 feet, making it accessible to divers and snorkelers alike. It sits within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, so fishing and anchoring are restricted to protect the coral. Conditions are usually calm enough for beginners, though visibility and current can shift with weather coming off the Straits of Florida.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• Caribbean Bluehead WrasseThalassoma bifasciatumReported here · unconfirmed
• Bicolor DamselfishStegastes partitusReported here · unconfirmed
• Slippery DickHalichoeres bivittatusReported here · unconfirmed
• Yellowhead WrasseHalichoeres garnotiReported here · unconfirmed
• Redband ParrotfishSparisoma aurofrenatumReported here · unconfirmed
• Striped ParrotfishScarus iseriReported here · unconfirmed
• Brazilian Ocean SurgeonfishAcanthurus bahianusReported here · unconfirmed
• Clown WrasseHalichoeres maculipinnaReported here · unconfirmed
• Yellowtail SnapperOcyurus chrysurusReported here · unconfirmed
• Atlantic Blue TangAcanthurus coeruleusReported here · unconfirmed