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Tilefishes are mostly small perciform marine fish comprising the family Malacanthidae.<ref name=FishBase-2015-10/><ref name=Nelson-2006/> They are usually found in sandy areas, especially near coral reefs. They have a long life span, up to 46 years (females) and 39 years (males). <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Commercial fisheries exist for the largest species, making them important food fish. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns pregnant or breastfeeding women against eating tilefish and some other fish due to mercury contamination. <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Exceptionally colorful smaller species of tilefish are favored for aquariums.
Taxonomic issuesEdit
The family is further divided into two subfamilies: Latilinae, sometimes called the Branchiosteginae, and Malacanthinae.<ref name=Nelson-2006>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=Eschmeyer-Fricke-2016>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Some authors regard these subfamilies as two evolutionarily distinct families.<ref name=FishBase-2015-10/><ref name=Nelson-2006/>
The placement of this family within the Eupercaria is still uncertain. The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies them within the Perciformes but in a grouping of seven families that may have a relationship to Acanthuroidei, Monodactylidae, and Priacanthidae,<ref name=Nelson-Grande-Wilson-2016>Template:Cite book</ref> while other authorities place it outside the Perciformes, at an order level but with its true relationships being incertae sedis.<ref name=Betancur-Rodriguez-etal-2017>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Subfamilies and generaEdit
The following two subfamilies and five genera are classified within the family Malacanthidae, in total it contains 45 species.<ref name=Scharpf-Lazara-2020/><ref name=Nelson-Grande-Wilson-2016/><ref name=CoF-fam>Template:Cof family</ref><ref name=vdLaan-Eschmeyer-Fricke-2014/>
- subfamily Latilinae Gill, 1862
- genus Branchiostegus Rafinesque, 1815
- genus Caulolatilus Gill, 1862
- genus Lopholatilus Goode & Bean, 1879
- subfamily Malacanthinae Poey, 1861
- genus Hoplolatilus Günther 1887
- genus Malacanthus Cuvier 1829
DescriptionEdit
The two subfamilies appear to be morphologically different, with members of the Latilinae having deeper bodies bearing predorsal ridge and heads rounded to squarish in profile. In contrast, members of the Malacanthinae are more slender with elongated bodies lacking predorsal ridge and rounded head. They also differ ecologically, with latilines typically occurring below 50 m and malacanthines shallower than 50 m depth.<ref name=Nelson-2006/>
Tilefish range in size from Template:Cvt (yellow tilefish, Hoplolatilus luteus) to Template:Cvt (great northern tilefish, Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) and a weight of Template:Cvt.<ref name = MF>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Both subfamilies have long dorsal and anal fins, the latter having one or two spines. The gill covers (opercula) 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 truncated to forked. Most species are fairly low-key in colour, commonly shades of yellow, brown, and gray.<ref name = MF/> 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).<ref name = Schultz/>
Tilefish larvae are notable for their elaborate spines.<ref name=FishBase-2015-10/> The family name Malacanthidae, is based on the type genus Malacanthus which is a compound of the Greek words malakos meaning "soft" and akanthos meaning "thorn", possibly derived from the slender, flexible spines in the dorsal fin of Malacanthus plumieri.<ref name=Scharpf-Lazara-2020>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Habitat and dietEdit
Generally shallow-water fish, tilefish are usually found at depths of 50–200 m 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.<ref name=Baird-1988>Template:Cite journal</ref>
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.<ref name=Wingerter-2011>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Tilefish feed primarily on small benthic invertebrates, especially crustaceans such as crab and shrimp. Mollusks, worms, sea urchins, and small fish are also taken.<ref name = gma>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
After the 1882 mass die-off,<ref name=Marsh-Petrie-etal-1999>Template:Cite journal</ref> great northern tilefish were thought to be extinct until a large number were caught in 1910 near New Bedford, Massachusetts.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Behaviour and reproductionEdit
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 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.<ref name = sss>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
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 microecosystem for other reef species.<ref name=Schultz>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
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 Template:Nobr and made buoyant by oil. The larvae are pelagic and drift until the fish have reached the juvenile stage.<ref name = Schultz/>
TimelineEdit
The relative extant of Branchiostegus in the archeological record: <timeline> ImageSize = width:1000px height:auto barincrement:15px PlotArea = left:10px bottom:50px top:10px right:10px
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#legends id:CAR value:claret id:ANK value:rgb(0.4,0.3,0.196) id:HER value:teal id:HAD value:green id:OMN value:blue id:black value:black id:white value:white id:cenozoic value:rgb(0.54,0.54,0.258) id:paleogene value:rgb(0.99,0.6,0.32) id:paleocene value:rgb(0.99,0.65,0.37) id:eocene value:rgb(0.99,0.71,0.42) id:oligocene value:rgb(0.99,0.75,0.48) id:neogene value:rgb(0.999999,0.9,0.1) id:miocene value:rgb(0.999999,0.999999,0) id:pliocene value:rgb(0.97,0.98,0.68) id:quaternary value:rgb(0.98,0.98,0.5) id:pleistocene value:rgb(0.999999,0.95,0.68) id:holocene value:rgb(0.999,0.95,0.88)
BarData=
bar:eratop bar:space bar:periodtop bar:space bar:NAM1
bar:space bar:period bar:space bar:era
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align:center textcolor:black fontsize:M mark:(line,black) width:25 shift:(7,-4) bar:periodtop from: -65.5 till: -55.8 color:paleocene text:Paleocene from: -55.8 till: -33.9 color:eocene text:Eocene from: -33.9 till: -23.03 color:oligocene text:Oligocene from: -23.03 till: -5.332 color:miocene text:Miocene from: -5.332 till: -2.588 color:pliocene text:Plio. from: -2.588 till: -0.0117 color:pleistocene text:Pleist. from: -0.0117 till: 0 color:holocene text:H.
bar:eratop from: -65.5 till: -23.03 color:paleogene text:Paleogene from: -23.03 till: -2.588 color:neogene text:Neogene from: -2.588 till: 0 color:quaternary text:Q.
PlotData=
align:left fontsize:M mark:(line,white) width:5 anchor:till align:left
color:miocene bar:NAM1 from: -11.608 till: 0 text: Branchiostegus
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align:center textcolor:black fontsize:M mark:(line,black) width:25
bar:period from: -65.5 till: -55.8 color:paleocene text:Paleocene from: -55.8 till: -33.9 color:eocene text:Eocene from: -33.9 till: -23.03 color:oligocene text:Oligocene from: -23.03 till: -5.332 color:miocene text:Miocene from: -5.332 till: -2.588 color:pliocene text:Plio. from: -2.588 till: -0.0117 color:pleistocene text:Pleist. from: -0.0117 till: 0 color:holocene text:H.
bar:era from: -65.5 till: -23.03 color:paleogene text:Paleogene from: -23.03 till: -2.588 color:neogene text:Neogene from: -2.588 till: 0 color:quaternary text:Q.
</timeline>
Health effectsEdit
Tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico have been shown to have high levels of mercury, and the FDA has recommended against their consumption by pregnant women.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Atlantic Ocean tilefish may have lower levels of mercury and may be safer to consume.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
GalleryEdit
- Branchiostegus wardi JNC2997 Mouth.JPG
- Great northern tilefish.jpg
Great northern tilefish, Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps
ReferencesEdit
Further readingEdit
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External linksEdit
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