Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Actinopterygii
- Order: Perciformes (alternatively placed in the order Malacanthiformes in recent classifications)
- Family: Malacanthidae
- Genus: Caulolatilus
- Species: Caulolatilus cyanops (Günther, 1880)
Common name
- Often referred to as the “blue‑eyed tilefish,” reflecting the meaning of the species epithet cyanops (“blue eye”).
Description
Caulolatilus cyanops is a marine ray‑finned fish that attains a total length of up to approximately 40 cm (15.7 in). The body is laterally compressed with a moderately deep profile. The coloration is generally brownish‑gray dorsally, becoming lighter ventrally. A distinguishing feature is the presence of a dark‑colored eye patch or iris that gives the appearance of a “blue eye.” The dorsal fin is continuous, with a relatively long base, and the anal fin mirrors the dorsal fin in shape and size.
Distribution and habitat
- Geographic range: Eastern Pacific Ocean, from the Gulf of California (Mexico) southward along the coasts of Central America to Peru.
- Depth range: Typically recorded from 30 m to 200 m (98 ft to 656 ft), favoring sandy or muddy substrates on the continental shelf and slope.
Biology and ecology
- Diet: Benthic predator feeding on a variety of invertebrates, including crustaceans (e.g., shrimps, crabs), polychaete worms, and small mollusks. Occasional ingestion of small fishes has been reported.
- Behavior: Like other tilefishes, C. cyanops is known to create or occupy burrows in soft sediments, using the structure for shelter and possibly for ambush hunting.
- Reproduction: Specific reproductive details for this species are limited. Tilefishes in general are oviparous, releasing pelagic eggs that develop in the water column; it is presumed that C. cyanops follows a similar strategy.
Conservation status
- The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has not evaluated Caulolatilus cyanops separately; consequently, its formal conservation status is Not Evaluated (NE). No major commercial fishery is known to target this species, and it is not considered to be under significant threat based on available data.
Human utilization
- The species is occasionally caught as by‑catch in trawl fisheries operating on the continental shelf. It may be sold locally in fresh or frozen form, though it does not constitute a major commercial target.
References
- FishBase. Caulolatilus cyanops species summary.
- Catalog of Fishes (California Academy of Sciences), updated 2024.
- Eschmeyer, W.N., et al. (2023). “Family Malacanthidae – Tilefishes.” In Fishes of the World (5th ed.).
Note: Information presented reflects the current state of reputable ichthyological databases and taxonomic references. Where data are sparse or unpublished, statements are qualified accordingly.
