Hoplolatilus is a genus of tilefishes native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. The chameleon tilefish (Hoplolatilus chlupatyi), also known as the flashing tilefish, is well known in particular in the aquarium hobby due to its unique ability to change colors in an instant with the help of specialized proteins in its skin that can reflect light in different wavelengths, allowing it to cycle between primary and secondary colors on the light spectrum.[1]

Hoplolatilus
Bluehead tilefish (Hoplolatilus starcki)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Malacanthidae
Subfamily: Malacanthinae
Genus: Hoplolatilus
Günther, 1887
Type species
Latilus fronticinctus
Günther, 1887
Synonyms
  • Asymmetrurus E. Clark & Ben-Tuvia, 1973

Species

edit

There are currently 13 recognized species in this genus:[1]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Hoplolatilus". FishBase. December 2013 version.