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Green tilefish (Hoplolatilus cuniculus) — Malacanthidae

Green tilefish

Hoplolatilus cuniculus
Family: Malacanthidae

The Green tilefish (Hoplolatilus cuniculus) is a saltwater fish of the family Malacanthidae that grows up to 16 cm.

Length
16 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
25.0–115.0 m
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Oceania: Marshall Is., Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Timor-Leste, Tonga and others
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The green tilefish is a tilefish (Malacanthidae) from deeper sand and rubble water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 13 cm and has an elongate, green-grey body with a paler head. Characteristically it builds a mound of coral rubble and pebbles over a self-dug burrow, into which it dives when in danger. As a plankton feeder it hovers above the burrow and snaps at small zooplankton. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Green tilefish?

The Green tilefish has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly green.

Where does the Green tilefish live?

The Green tilefish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Oceania: Marshall Is., Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Timor-Leste, Tonga and others

How big does the Green tilefish get?

The Green tilefish grows to a maximum of about 16 cm.

Is the Green tilefish dangerous to humans?

No, the Green tilefish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Green tilefish edible?

Yes, the Green tilefish is commonly eaten.

More photos

Green tilefish (Hoplolatilus cuniculus) — Malacanthidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Mark Rosenstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Green tilefish (Hoplolatilus cuniculus) — Malacanthidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Mark Rosenstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Green tilefish (Hoplolatilus cuniculus) — Malacanthidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Mark Rosenstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Green tilefish (Hoplolatilus cuniculus) — Malacanthidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Georgina Jones, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Green tilefish sourced
Scientific name
Hoplolatilus cuniculus
Family
Malacanthidae
Other names
Green tilefish; Grey tilefish; Pale sand tilefish; Dusky tilefish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
16.0 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Green sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
25.0 verified
Max depth (m)
115.0 verified
Natural range
Oceania: Marshall Is., Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Timor-Leste, Tonga and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
Fishing method
Bottom fishing with natural bait (worm, shrimp or fish) on or just above the seabed. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Hoplolatilus

Blue tilefish (Hoplolatilus starcki) — Malacanthidae
Blue tilefish
Hoplolatilus starcki
Malacanthidae
 Yellow tilefish (Hoplolatilus luteus) — Malacanthidae
Yellow tilefish
Hoplolatilus luteus
Malacanthidae
 Purple sand tilefish (Hoplolatilus purpureus) — Malacanthidae
Purple sand tilefish
Hoplolatilus purpureus
Malacanthidae
 Pohle's tilefish (Hoplolatilus pohle) — Malacanthidae
Pohle's tilefish
Hoplolatilus pohle
Malacanthidae
 Redback sand tilefish (Hoplolatilus marcosi) — Malacanthidae
Redback sand tilefish
Hoplolatilus marcosi
Malacanthidae

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Fin

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