チリでは高級魚として賞味される。アマダイ科魚類としてチリでは本種の他にCaulolatilus princeps (Jenyns) が記録されている(Bahamonde and Pequeño, 1975)。
(中村 泉)
Material examined:
10 from Chile (183.0-324.0 mm SL), FAKU CP 646, 647, 769-772, 781, 873, 876, 880.
Description:
D W, 27-29; A 19-22, P1 19-20; P2 T, 5; GR 3-5+7-10=10-15; BR 6-7.
HL 31.7-35.3 of SL; ED 6.2-6.9; BD 21.8-25.0; SN 9.9-11.5; IO 7.6-8.8; UJ 10.4-11.7; 7.6-8.9; P1L 25.7-27.5; P2L 20.9-24.2; D1H 9.9-11.9; AH 8.3-10.0.
Body elongate, slightly compressed. Dorsal profile of body evenly arched and ventral profile fairly straight. Mouth small, protractile, posterior end of upper jaw scarecely reaching anterior margin of eye. Fleshy lips developed on both jaws, upper jaw more projected than lower jaw. Eye small, about half of snout, situated nearer to dorsal profile than to ventral profile of head. Teeth in broad villiform bands in both jaws, those of outer series fairly enlarged. No teeth on vomer or palatines. Two nostrils small, anterior nostril round with flap and posterior nostril oval without flap. Interorbital region flat and wide, its width more than eye diameter. Posterior margin of opercle angular with a small spine. Head covered with fine irregular shaped scales except anterior part of snout and lips. Body tightly covered by small ctenoid scales. Pectoral fin squarish and large, about four-fifths of head. Pelvic fin also large, extending nearly to anal fin origin, but slightly shorter than pectoral fin. Four dorsal spines increasing in size from first to forth, followed by soft rays continuously. Caudal fin subtruncate. Lateral line gradually curved anteriorly and fairly straight posteriorly. Body brownish, with some obscure dark markings.
Distribution:
Off Chilean coast from Tocopilla to near Chiloe.
Remarks:
This species is an excellent food fish in Chile (Mann, 1954). Another species of Branchiostegidae, Caulolatilus princeps (Jennyns) is known from Chile (Bahamonde and Pequeño, 1975).