Western Atlantic: Rhode Island, USA to southern Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean and the Antilles.

Eastern Atlantic: Cape Verde to Gabon; accidental to France.

Eastern Pacific: Gulf of California and southern Baja California, Mexico to Peru.

Extreme population reduction (and in some cases localized extinction) of the species from the southern portion of its range in the Western Atlantic has been reported (Rosa 2002). The species is no longer found in the southern portion of its Brazilian range, being declared locally extinct in Rio de Janeiro Municipality (Rio de Janeiro 2000).