{{Short description|Species of fish}} {{Speciesbox | image = Caulolatilus princeps.jpg | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 20 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Findley, L. |author2=Bessudo, S. |author3=Acero, A. |author4=Cotto, A. |date=2010 |title=''Caulolatilus princeps'' |volume=2010 |article-number=e.T183991A8212524 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T183991A8212524.en |access-date=20 November 2021}}</ref> | taxon = Caulolatilus princeps | authority = (Jenyns, 1840) | synonyms = * ''Latilus princeps'' <small>Jenyns, 1840</small> * ''Dekaya anomala'' <small>J. G. Cooper, 1863</small> * ''Caulolatilus affinis'' <small>Hildebrand, 1946</small> | synonyms_ref = <ref name = Fishbase>{{Fishbase|Caulolatilus|princeps|month=December|year=2019}}</ref> }} The '''ocean whitefish''' ('''''Caulolatilus princeps'''''), also known as the '''ocean tilefish''', is a species of marine ray-finned fish, belonging to the family Malacanthidae, the tilefishes. It is native to the Eastern Pacific Ocean. It may also be known as the '''blanquillo''' or '''whities'''.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2018-04-26 |title=Ocean Whitefish |url=https://www.pierfishing.com/ocean-whitefish/ |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=Pier Fishing in California |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Taxonomy and etymology== The ocean whitefish was first formally described in 1840 as ''Latilus princeps'' by the English naturalist Leonard Jenyns (1800–1893). The type specimen was collected in the Galapagos by ''H.M.S. Beagle''.<ref name="CofF">{{Cof genus|genus=Caulolatilus|access-date=11 March 2021}}</ref> The specific name ''princeps'' means "first" or "most important", the reason for the name was not explained but maybe because it was larger than its presumed congeners at the time Jenyns named it.<ref name="ETYFish">{{cite web |author1=Christopher Scharpf |author2=Kenneth J. Lazara |name-list-style=amp |date=18 September 2020 |title=Series EUPERCARIA (Incertae sedis): Families CALLANTHIIDAE, CENTROGENYIDAE, DINOLESTIDAE, DINOPERCIDAE, EMMELICHTHYIDAE, MALACANTHIDAE, MONODACTYLIDAE, MORONIDAE, PARASCORPIDIDAE, SCIAENIDAE and SILLAGINIDAE |url=https://etyfish.org/eupercaria/ |access-date=11 March 2021 |work=The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database |publisher=Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara |archive-date=17 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220217162719/https://etyfish.org/eupercaria/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Hubbs's tilefish (''Caulolatilus hubbsi'') was described as a new species from the Galápagos Islands in 1978 but since then studies have shown that it is not readily distinguishable from ''C. princeps'' and should be considered a junior synonym of this species.<ref name="L&F">{{cite journal |author1=Robert N. Lea |author2=Richard F. Feeney |name-list-style=amp |year=2016 |title=Status of two species of tilefish ''Caulolatilus princeps'' (Jenyns) and ''C. hubbsi'' Dooley, originally described from the Galápagos Islands |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/84318538.pdf |journal=Galapagos Research |volume=68 |pages=10–12}}</ref>
==Description== The ocean whitefish has a sturdy, quadrangular body with a relatively deep head which has a steep profile and a small mouth extending to the front of the eye. There is a fleshy ridge along the centerline of the body in front of the dorsal fin. The gill cover has a short blunt spine while the preoperculum is serrated, and is quite sharp. The dorsal fin contains between 7 and 10, normally 9, spines and 24–27 soft rays while the anal fin has 1–3 spines and 22–26 soft rays.<ref name = STRI>{{cite web | url = https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/sftep/en/thefishes/species/1220 | title = Species: Caulolatilus princeps, Ocean whitefish, Ocean tilefish | access-date = 11 March 2021 | work = Shorefishes of the Eastern Pacific online information system | publisher = Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute}}</ref> The overall color is pale brown with a white abdomen. The pectoral fins are colored greenish-blue and yellow while the dorsal fin is yellow.<ref name = seagrant>{{cite web | url = https://caseagrant.ucsd.edu/seafood-profiles/ocean-whitefish | title = Ocean Whitefish | access-date = 11 March 2021| work = California Sea Grant | publisher = University of California, San Diego}}</ref>
This species can reach a length of {{convert|102|cm|in}} total length. The greatest recorded weight for this species is {{convert|5.8|kg|lb}}, but most fish are under {{convert|3.6|kg|lb}}.<ref name="seagrant" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=CA Marine Species Portal |url=https://marinespecies.wildlife.ca.gov/ocean-whitefish/true/ |website=marinespecies.wildlife.ca.gov}}</ref><ref name="Fishbase" /> The IGFA record lists the max size as a {{convert|7.74|kg|lb}} caught in 2011.<ref name=":1" /> [[File:Ocean Whitefish (Caulolatilus princeps) at the California Academy of Sciences.jpg|thumb|252x252px|Two ocean whitefish with rainbow surfperch (''Hypsurus caryi'') in the background. Photographed at the California Academy of Sciences]]
==Distribution== The ocean whitefish is found in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Here it ranges from Southern British Columbia to Central Peru, possibly as far south as Northern Chile. It is also found at almost all of the Eastern Pacific archipelagos, except for Clipperton Island.<ref name="iucn status 20 November 2021" />
It prefers warmer waters and is most common on the banks and offshore islands of the coast of California, from Point Conception in Santa Barbara County south to Baja California in Mexico.<ref name="seagrant" />
==Habitat and biology== The ocean whitefish is found at depths between {{cvt|3|and|150|m}}.<ref name="iucn status 20 November 2021" /> It is found mainly over rocky substrates, but may also be encountered over sandy or muddy substrates.<ref name = Fishbase/> It is a solitary species which shelters during the night in kelp forests or in rocky reefs. It is a predatory fish which has a diet comprising crabs, shrimp, large krill, squid, anchovies, and lanternfish.<ref name = seagrant/> The ocean whitefish also forages by digging into the substrate.<ref name = Fishbase/>
This species has an extended spawning season which runs from the late autumn into early spring. The eggs are fertilized externally, and the larvae live a pelagic lifestyle until growing larger and adapting a more demersal lifestyle. They are sexually mature at 3–5 years old and may live for 13 years.<ref name=":0" />
The predators of the ocean whitefish include the giant sea bass (''Stereolepis gigas''), school shark (''Galeorhinus galeus'') and California sea lion (''Zalophus californianus'').<ref name = seagrant/> Known parasites include the trematodes ''Choanodera caulolatili'', ''Choricotyle caulolatili'', ''Jaliscia caballeroi'' and ''Myzotus vitellosus''.<ref name = WoRMS> {{cite WoRMS |author= Dr Bailly, Nicolas |year=2008 |title= ''Caulolatilus princeps'' (Jenyns, 1840) |id= 276217 |access-date=11 March 2021}}</ref>
==Relation to humans== The ocean whitefish is caught as bycatch off California by the groundfish commercial fishery using longline or hook and line tactics. It is also a popular fish for sport fishing.<ref name = seagrant/> The taste of the meat has been regarded as good, with soft texture and small flakes, but the skin is recommended to be removed before cooking on account of it not tasting very good.<ref name=":1" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{sealifephotos|276217}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q2431784}}
Ocean whitefish Category:Fish described in 1840