Tilefish

Tilefish
Tilefishes
Blue blanquillo, Malacanthus latovittatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Malacanthidae
Genera

Branchiostegus
Caulolatilus
Hoplolatilus
Lopholatilus
Malacanthus
See text for species.

Tilefishes, also known as blanquillo, are mostly small perciform marine fish comprising the family Malacanthidae. They are usually found in sandy areas, especially near coral reefs.[1]

Commercial fisheries exist for the largest species, making them important food fish. However, the American Food and Drug Administration warns pregnant or breastfeeding women against eating tilefish and some other fish due to mercury contamination. [2] [3] The smaller, exceptionally colorful species of tilefish are enjoyed in the aquarium.

Due to their low fecundities, commercially important species are threatened by overfishing via long-line and bottom trawling methods.

Contents

Physical description

The two subfamilies appear to be morphologically different, with members of Branchiosteginae having deep bodies, large heads and large, somewhat subterminal mouths. In contrast, members of Malacanthinae are slender with elongate bodies, smaller heads and terminal mouths.

Tilefish range in size from 11 centimetres (yellow tilefish, Hoplolatilus luteus) to 125 centimetres (great northern tilefish, Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) and a weight of 30 kilograms.

Both subfamilies have long dorsal and anal fins, the latter having 1-2 spines. The gill covers (operculum) have one spine which may be sharp or blunt; some species also have a cutaneous ridge atop the head. The tail fin may range in shape from truncate to forked. Most species are fairly low-key in colour, commonly shades of yellow, brown and gray. Notable exceptions include three small, vibrant Hoplolatilus species: the purple sand tilefish (H. purpureus), Starck's tilefish (H. starcki) and the redback sand tilefish (H. marcosi).

Tilefish larvae are notable for their generous complement of spines and serrations on the head and scales. This feature also explains the family name Malacanthidae, from the Greek words mala meaning "many" and akantha meaning "thorn".

Habitat and diet

Great northern tilefish, Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps

Generally shallow-water fish, tilefish are usually found at depths of 50–200 metres in both temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. All species seek shelter in self-made burrows, caves at the bases of reefs or piles of rock, often in canyons or at the edges of steep slopes. Either gravelly or sandy substrate may be preferred, depending on the species.

Most species are strictly marine; an exception is found in the blue blanquillo (Malacanthus latovittatus) which is known to enter the brackish waters of Papua New Guinea's Goldie River.

Tilefish feed primarily on small benthic invertebrates, especially crustaceans such as crab and shrimp. Mollusks, worms, sea urchins and small fish are also taken.

Behaviour and reproduction

Tilefish live in burrows, sometimes forming undersea Pueblo villages. Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps

Active fish, tilefish keep to themselves and generally stay at or near the bottom. They rely heavily on their keen eyesight to catch their prey. If approached, the fish will quickly dive into their constructed retreats, often head-first. The chameleon sand tilefish (Hoplolatilus chlupatyi) relies on its remarkable ability to rapidly change colour (with a wide range) to evade predators.

Many species form monogamous pairs, while some are solitary in nature (e.g., ocean whitefish, Caulolatilus princeps), and others colonial. Some species, such as the rare pastel tilefish (Hoplolatilus fronticinctus) of the Indo-Pacific, actively builds large rubble mounds above which they school and in which they live. These mounds serve as both refuge and as a micro-ecosystem for other reef species.

The reproductive habits of tilefish are not well studied. Spawning occurs throughout the spring and summer; all species are presumed not to guard their broods. Eggs are small (<2 mm) and made buoyant by oil. The larvae are pelagic and drift until the fish have reached the juvenile stage.

Species

Great northern tilefish, Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps

There are forty-two species in five genera.

The family is further divided into two subfamilies: Branchiosteginae or Latilinae and Malacanthinae. Some authors regard these subfamilies as two evolutionarily distinct families (in which case the former subfamily is recorded as Branchiostegidae).

  • Subfamily Malacanthinae
    • Genus Branchiostegus
      • Branchiostegus albus Dooley, 1978.
      • Branchiostegus argentatus (Cuvier, 1830).
      • Branchiostegus auratus (Kishinouye, 1907).
      • Australia spotted handfish, Branchiostegus australiensis Dooley & Kailola, 1988.
      • Ribbed tilefish, Branchiostegus doliatus (Cuvier, 1830).
      • Branchiostegus gloerfelti Dooley & Kailola, 1988.
      • Branchiostegus hedlandensis Dooley & Kailola, 1988.
      • Branchiostegus ilocanus Herre, 1928.
      • Red tilefish, Branchiostegus japonicus (Houttuyn, 1782).
      • Branchiostegus paxtoni Dooley & Kailola, 1988.
      • Freckled tilefish, Branchiostegus sawakinensis Amirthalingam, 1969.
      • Zebra tilefish, Branchiostegus semifasciatus (Norman, 1931).
      • Branchiostegus serratus Dooley & Paxton, 1975.
      • Branchiostegus vittatus Herre, 1926.
      • Branchiostegus wardi Whitley, 1932.
    • Genus Hoplolatilus
      • Chameleon sand tilefish, Hoplolatilus chlupatyi Klausewitz, McCosker, Randall & Zetzsche, 1978.
      • Dusky tilefish, Hoplolatilus cuniculus Randall & Dooley, 1974.
      • Yellow-spotted tilefish, Hoplolatilus fourmanoiri Smith, 1964.
      • Pastel tilefish, Hoplolatilus fronticinctus (Günther, 1887).
      • Hoplolatilus geo Fricke & Kacher, 1982.
      • Yellow tilefish, Hoplolatilus luteus Allen & Kuiter, 1989.
      • Redback sand tilefish, Hoplolatilus marcosi Burgess, 1978.
      • Hoplolatilus oreni (Clark & Ben-Tuvia, 1973).
      • Hoplolatilus pohle Earle & Pyle, 1997.
      • Purple sand tilefish, Hoplolatilus purpureus Burgess, 1978.
      • Starck's tilefish, Hoplolatilus starcki Randall & Dooley, 1974.
    • Genus Malacanthus
      • Quakerfish, Malacanthus brevirostris Guichenot, 1848.
      • Blue blanquillo, Malacanthus latovittatus (Lacépède, 1801).
      • Sand tilefish, Malacanthus plumieri (Bloch, 1786).
  • Subfamily Latilinae
    • Genus Caulolatilus
      • Bighead tilefish, Caulolatilus affinis Gill, 1865.
      • Bermuda tilefish, Caulolatilus bermudensis Dooley, 1981.
      • Atlantic goldeye tilefish, Caulolatilus chrysops (Valenciennes, 1833).
      • Blackline tilefish, Caulolatilus cyanops Poey, 1866.
      • Bankslope tilefish, Caulolatilus dooleyi Berry, 1978.
      • Reticulated tilefish, Caulolatilus guppyi Beebe & Tee-Van, 1937.
      • Hubbs' tilefish, Caulolatilus hubbsi Dooley, 1978.
      • Gulf bareye tilefish, Caulolatilus intermedius Howell Rivero, 1936.
      • Grey tilefish, Caulolatilus microps Goode & Bean, 1878.
      • Ocean whitefish, Caulolatilus princeps (Jenyns, 1840).
      • Yellowbar tilefish, Caulolatilus williamsi Dooley & Berry, 1977.
    • Genus Lopholatilus
      • Great northern tilefish, Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps Goode & Bean, 1879 (known as Golden Tile culinarily)
      • Lopholatilus villarii Miranda-Ribeiro, 1915.

References

Further reading

  • Eol.org
  • Acero, A. and Franke, R., (2001)., Peces del parque nacional natural Gorgona. En: Barrios, L. M. y M. Lopéz-Victoria (Eds.). Gorgona marina: Contribución al conocimiento de una isla única., INVEMAR, Serie Publicaciones Especiales No. 7:123-131.
  • Breder, C.M. Jr., (1936)., Scientific results of the second oceanographic expedition of the "Pawnee" 1926. Heterosomata to Pediculati from Panama to Lower California., Bull. Bingham Oceanogr. Collect. Yale Univ., 2(3):1-56.
  • Béarez, P., 1996., Lista de los Peces Marinos del Ecuador Continental., Revista de Biologia Tropical, 44:731-741.
  • Castro-Aguirre, J.L. and Balart, E.F., (2002)., La ictiofauna de las islas Revillagigedos y sus relaciones zoogeograficas, con comentarios acerca de su origen y evolucion. En: Lozano-Vilano, M. L. (Ed.). Libro Jubilar en Honor al Dr. Salvador Contreras Balderas., Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo León:153-170.
  • Dooley, J.K., (1978)., Systematics and biology of the tilefishes (Perciformes: Branchiostegidae and Malacanthidae), with descriptions of two new species., U.S. Nat. Ocean. Atmos. \.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • tilefish — ☆ tilefish [tīl′fish΄ ] n. pl. tilefish or tilefishes (see FISH) [< ModL (Lophola)til(us) + FISH] any of a family (Malacanthidae) of percoid fishes that live in the deep waters of the sea, including some large food fishes; esp., a W Atlantic… …   English World dictionary

  • Tilefish — Tile fish , n. (Zo[ o]l.) A large, edible, deep water food fish ({Lopholatilus cham[ae]leonticeps}) more or less thickly covered with large, round, yellow spots. [1913 Webster] Note: It was discovered off the Eastern coast of the United States in …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • tilefish — /tuyl fish /, n., pl. (esp. collectively) tilefish, (esp. referring to two or more kinds or species) tilefishes. 1. a large, brilliantly colored food fish, Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps, of deep waters of the Atlantic Ocean. 2. any of several… …   Universalium

  • tilefish — /ˈtaɪlfɪʃ/ (say tuylfish) noun (plural tilefish or tilefishes) 1. a colourful, deep water, marine fish, Branchiostegus wardi, of eastern Australian coastal waters. 2. a large, brilliantly coloured food fish, Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps, of the… …  

  • tilefish — noun Etymology: tile modification of New Latin Lopholatilus Date: 1881 any of various marine bony fishes (family Malacanthidae) used as food; especially a large fish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) of deep waters of the Atlantic and Gulf of… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • tilefish — noun Mostly small, perciform marine fish in the family Malacanthidae; an important food fish. Syn: blanquillo …   Wiktionary

  • tilefish — n. large edible deep sea fish …   English contemporary dictionary

  • tilefish — tile•fish [[t]ˈtaɪlˌfɪʃ[/t]] n. pl. (esp. collectively) fish, (esp. for kinds or species) fish•es. 1) ich a large, brilliantly colored food fish, Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps, of deep Atlantic waters, having a flap on the head 2) ich any of… …   From formal English to slang

  • tilefish — noun 1. important marine food fishes • Syn: ↑blanquillo • Hypernyms: ↑percoid fish, ↑percoid, ↑percoidean • Member Holonyms: ↑Branchiostegidae, ↑family Branch …   Useful english dictionary

  • USS Tilefish (SS-307) — USS Tilefish (SS 307), a Balao class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the tilefish, a large, yellow spotted deepwater food fish. Her keel was laid down on 10 March 1943 at Vallejo, California, by the Mare… …   Wikipedia

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