Golden tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps)

Description: Not only are golden tilefish adorable and delicious, they’re also environmental engineers. They construct elaborate burrow systems on muddy bottom and build large rubble mounds that other creatures use for shelter. Golden tilefish can grow to just over three feet long and can live up to 35 years. They’re harvested commercially in many parts of the world.

Geographic Distribution

Figure 1: Relative probability of occurrence of Golden tilefish (Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps) based on computer generated distribution maps. Data source: Aquamaps

Figure 2: Approximate depth range of Golden tilefish (black box). Slope of seafloor is a generalized representation of the Gulf of Mexico shelf and outer continental shelf.