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Species: Caulolatilus chrysops, Goldface Tilefish

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broad yellow patch under eye
D VIII
inner pectoral base yellow
C yellow spots
interoperculum scaled

Caulolatilus chrysops (Valenciennes, 1833)

Goldface Tilefish

Body robust, quadrangular, depth 21-34% of SL; head relatively deep, rounded in profile; fleshy ridge along midline before dorsal fin; operculum with a short, blunt spine; vertical edge of preoperculum serrated; no barbel on rear edge of top lip; 17-21 gill rakers; dorsal fin VIII, 23-25 rays; anal I-II, 20-26; pectoral fin 18, rarely 19; tail fin slightly concave; scales rough on body, smooth on head; pored lateral line scales 79-89; with scales on bone between preoperculum and operculum.

Body violet with light yellow cast on back, fading to white below; a broad bright yellow stripe overlaying a blue background under eye; iris yellow; dorsal fin with white base, grey & yellow mottling above that and a white margin; a black area above pectoral fin, inner fin base yellow; anal fin white and grey; tail fin with small yellow spots.

Reaches 60 cm.

Lives on rubble bottoms.

Depth range: 76-244 m, usually between ~90-200 m.

North Carolina to Brazil.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
Habitat
  • Sand & gravel
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Soft bottom only
  • Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
FishBase Habitat
  • Demersal
  • Reef Associated
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
  • Planktivore
Diet
  • Data
  • Zooplankton
  • Bony fishes
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
  • West Atlantic Endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Also in Brazil
  • Continent
  • Continent + Island (s)
  • Extends N + S of GC
  • Extends North of GC
  • Extends South of GC
  • GC non-endemic
  • Island (s)
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 60
Depth Range Min
  • 76
Depth Range Max
  • 244