The golden tilefish, or great northern tilefish, Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps, is a marine bottom dwelling fish of the tilefish family (Malacanthidae), found on the western Atlantic continental shelf from Nova Scotia to Surinam. It is not found in the Carribean, but does live in the gulf of Florida. Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps means “crested tilus with a chameleon-like head.” A bottom dwelling fish, it lives in burrows that it makes in the sediment or among rocks and ledges along the continental shelf, at depths between 200-1400 feet, feeding on a variety of bottom-dwelling invertebrates and occasionally other fish. Tilefish burrows have been found to be very dense in some areas, transforming the sea bottom landscape to hilly tussocks. Tilefish are thought to have an important impact on the continental shelf ecology, hence were designated a keystone species by ichthyologist Ken Able in 1986. These large fish, which reach a weight of over 50 pounds and length of 44 inches, can live for longer than 45 years. Despite their large size, the golden tilefish were not discovered until 1879, when a schooner captain caught the first specimen off the coast of Massachusetts in 1879. Tilefish were soon found to be excellent eating and abundant and their discovery spurned a new fishing industry in the next several years. However, in 1882, soon after its discovery the tilefish experienced a devastating die-off, in which an estimated billion tilefish floated dead in waters north of Delaware Bay. Research on the species led to the conclusion that this near annihilation of the species was caused by a shift in the flow of the Gulf Stream up the continental shelf, temporarily diverting these warmer waters over far deeper waters. Tilefish, which were found to live in a very specific region defined by the constant warm temperatures (between 47-53 degrees F) are intolerant to colder temperatures but thought to be unable to follow the Gulf Stream which no longer flowed over a bottom habitat. The population, thought for years to be extinct, rebounded and slowly increased in numbers such that they were discovered again ten years later. Currently, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) categorizes golden tilefish as highly susceptible to overfishing, and populations especially in the US Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic are depleted. Turner (1986) and Barans and Stender (1993) also indicate that fishing has drastically reduced Golden tilefish stock and reduced northern populations. Tilefish are most commonly caught by longline, sometimes in bottom trawls, and are a popular sport fish. The EDF also warns that these southern populations are high in mercury, that women and children should not eat them; men should limit their consumption to once/month.

(American Littoral Society; Bigelow and Schroeder 1953; Environmental Defense Fund 2011; Jones and Schmidtke 2012; Steimle et al. 1999)

Most common around 200 m, usually over mud or sand bottom and occasionally over rough bottom (Ref. 9988); prefers temperature of 8-17°C (Ref. 5951). Feeds mainly on shrimp and crabs, but also takes fish, squid, bivalves and holothurians. Sensitive to cold water (Ref. 9988), a mass die-off occurred in 1882, after which the species was rare for decades, presumably due to unusually cold water (Ref. 7251). Marketed fresh or frozen; can be steamed, pan-fried, broiled, microwaved and baked (Ref. 9988).

Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia, Canada to southern Florida, USA and Gulf of Mexico. Probably throughout the northern coast of South America (Ref. 5217); and the Caribbean (Dooley, pers. comm.).

Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia, Canada to southern Florida, USA and Gulf of Mexico. Probably throughout the northern coast of South America and the Caribbean

Gulf of Maine, Gulf of Mexico, North West Atlantic

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Western Atlantic.

Nova Scotia, Canada to southern Florida, USA and Gulf of Mexico. Probably throughout the northern coast of South America; and the Caribbean.

Maximum size: 1250 mm TL

125 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 3276)); 95 cm FL (female); max. published weight: 30.0 kg (Ref. 9988); max. reported age: 35 years (Ref. 6086)

to 125 cm TL (male/unsexed); max. weight: 30 kg.

Type for Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps
Catalog Number: USNM 22899
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Fishes
Preparation: Illustration
Collector(s): C. Kirby
Year Collected: 1879
Locality: Lat. 40 N. Long. 70 W. 80 m. Sxe. Noman's Land, Massachusetts, United States, Atlantic
Depth (m): 154 to 154

demersal; marine; depth range 80 - 540 m (Ref. 5217)

Most common around 200 m, usually over mud or sand bottom and occasionally over rough bottom.

benthic

Depth range based on 295 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 201 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0 - 550.5
  Temperature range (°C): 3.924 - 23.704
  Nitrate (umol/L): 1.979 - 25.946
  Salinity (PPS): 33.220 - 36.484
  Oxygen (ml/l): 2.721 - 6.256
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.194 - 1.415
  Silicate (umol/l): 1.285 - 14.791

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 0 - 550.5

Temperature range (°C): 3.924 - 23.704

Nitrate (umol/L): 1.979 - 25.946

Salinity (PPS): 33.220 - 36.484

Oxygen (ml/l): 2.721 - 6.256

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.194 - 1.415

Silicate (umol/l): 1.285 - 14.791
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Habitat Type: Marine

Depth: 80 - 540m.
From 80 to 540 meters.

Habitat: demersal. Most common around 200 m depth, usually over mud or sand bottom and occasionally rough bottom. Feeds mainly on shrimp and crabs, but also takes fish, squid, bivalves and holothurians. Sensitive to cold water (Ref. 9988). A mass die-off occurred in 1882, after which the species was rare for decades, presumably due to unusually cold water (Ref. 7251). Marketed fresh or frozen; can be steamed, pan-fried, broiled, microwaved and baked (Ref. 9988).

Demersal; marine; depth range 80 - 540 m. Most common around 200 m, usually over muddy or sandy bottoms, occasionally over rough bottoms.

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Tilefish are shelter-seeking fish which inhabit three more or less distinct habitats: 1) horizontal excavations in clay outcrops along the walls of submarine canyons (pueblo habitats); 2) scour depressions under rocks and boulders and; 3) the primary habitat, funnel-shaped vertical burrows in horizontal clay substrates. Two critical habitat requirements are relatively warm (9-14°C) stable bottom temperaures and the availability of shelter or a malleable substrate in which to construct a shelter (Ref. 33985). Small tilefish is preyed upon by spiny dogfish and conger eels. Parasites of the species include acanthocephalan, Echinorhynchus sp.; immature nematodes, Ascaris sp.; cestodes, Inquirenda sp., bisulcatus and trematodes Distomum foecundum and D. ocreatum (Ref. 5951).

Shrimp and crabs, also eats fish, squid, bivalves and holothurians.

Open water/substratum egg scatterers. Spawn in bays and sounds from March until November.

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 0
Specimens with Barcodes: 5
Species With Barcodes: 1

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: NNR - Unranked

Rounded Global Status Rank: GNR - Not Yet Ranked

Not Evaluated

fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes