Family: MALACANTHIDAE, Tilefish, Tilefishes, Whitefishes

FAMILY MALACANTHIDAE

TILEFISHES, WHITEFISHES

Body elongate and fusiform, body depth 13 to 19 % (usually 14 to 17 %) standard length; with blunt or rounded snout; snout length 39 to 52% standard length; upper lip very fleshy, overhanging upper jaw; no predorsal ridge; predorsal length 23 to 27% standard length; preopercle edge smooth, angle 110 to 115o; opercle with single sharp pointed spine about 3/4 the diameter of the eye; gill rakers blunt and reduced; total gill rakers on first gill arch 8 to 13 (usually 10 ); dorsal and anal fins long and continuous (sum of bases 112 to 135%, usually 125% standard length); length of dorsal-fin base 67 to 73% standard length; anal-fin base 53 to 63% standard length; dorsal-fin IV-V, 54-60; anal fin I, 38-55; caudal fin lunate with extended filaments from upper and lower tips.

The family, which is pantropical, has two genera with 16 species; one species in our area.

PREPARED BY D ROSS ROBERTSON, AFTER DOOLEY (2002)