Caulolatilus microps
Blueline Tilefish
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
There are no photos available for this taxon yet.
Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Malacanthidae (Tilefishes)
Caulolatilus
Caulolatilus microps (Blueline Tilefish)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
It may contain errors in spelling, punctuation, or formatting.
When citing, please reference the original source rather than this page.
Learn more about our species accounts.
Characters
Elongate and elliptical in profile, with a well-developed opercular spine, no dark spot on axil of pectoral fins, and a truncate caudal fin. Dorsal profile of head is moderately convex. Mouth is terminal, with upper jaw extending half the distance between posterior nostril and anterior margin of orbit. Posterior naris is enclosed in a tube possessing a flap. Jaws have outer row of 20 to 32 canine teeth, including one or two large antrorse teeth at end of rows, and a patch of villiform teeth on either side of symphyses extending as a single row posteriorly. Preoperculum has well-developed serrae on posterior margin. Operculum has a single flat spine about three-fourths the length of pupil. Gill rakers on first arch number 21 to 27. Measurements are expressed as percent of SL: head length 28%–32%, predorsal-fin length 30%–39%, body depth 24%–31%; and as percent of head length: snout length 37%–51%, upper jaw length 35%–42%, orbit diameter 15%–29%. Pectoral fin is long and pointed, reaches to anus, and has 17 or 18 rays. Dorsal fin originates over posterior aspect of pectoral fin base and has seven or eight spines and 24 to 27 rays. Anal fin has two spines and 22 to 24 (usually 22 or 23) rays. Caudal fin is truncate, with upper and lower tips extending beyond remainder of fin. Scales are ctenoid on body and cycloid on head. On top of head, scales extend to anterior margin of orbit. Caudal fin is covered with small scales. Lateral line is parallel to dorsal profile and consists of 79 to 91 scales.
Color is dark brown dorsally and light beige white ventrally. Head has a black predorsal ridge and a narrow gold stripe underlined by blue line that runs from tip of snout to eye.
Distribution
from Virginia to Yucatán, including the entire Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico (implied as part of broader range)
Habitat Associations
between 30 and 130 m
rubble-covered substrates
Biology
Maximum known size is 653 mm SL
Occurs on mud and rubble bottom. Feeds mainly on benthic invertebrates (crustaceans, mollusks, polychaetes and brittle stars) and fishes. Captured mainly from 75 to 200 m deep and occurring to at least 236 m (Ref. 6134). Marketed fresh.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external. Functional hermaphroditism has to be confirmed for this species.
IUCN Red List Status: Data Deficient (DD), assessed 2013-01-29. Resilience: Low (K=0.14; tmax=15).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish.
References
Hoese and Moore 1977
Dooley 1978
Robins and Ray 1986
Boschung 1992
Schaldach et al. 1997
Smith 1997
Hoese and Moore 1998
Dooley 2002
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986) A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
Dooley, J.K. (1978) Systematics and biology of the tilefishes (Perciformes: Branchiostegidae and Malacanthidae) with descriptions of two new species. NOAA Tech. Rep. NMFS Circ. No. 411:1-78.
Aliño, P.M., L.T. McManus, J.W. McManus, C. Nañola, M.D. Fortes, G.C. Trono and G.S. Jacinto (1993) Initial parameter estimations of a coral reef flat ecosystem in Bolinao, Pangasinan, Northwestern Philippines. p. 252-258. In D. Pauly and V. Christensen (eds.) Trophic models of aquatic ecosystems. ICLARM Conf. Proc. 26.
Ross, J.L. (1982) Feeding habits of the gray tilefish, Caulolatilus microps (Goode and Bean, 1878) from North Carolina and South Carolina waters. Bull. Mar. Sci. 32(2):448-454.
Ross, J.L. and J.V. Merriner (1983) Reproductive biology of the blueline tilefish, Caulolatilus microps, off North Carolina and South Carolina. Fish. Bull. 81(3):553-568.
Comments On Caulolatilus microps