TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL VARIATION IN HABITAT CHARACTERISTICS OF TILEFISH(LOPHOLATILUS-CHAMAELEONTICEPS) OFF THE EAST-COAST OF FLORIDA

The tilefish, Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps, constructs burrows in car bonate sediments off the central east coast of Florida at similar temp eratures (8.6-15.4-degrees-C) and in similar sediment textures (high p roportion of silts and clays) to conspecifics in the Mid-Atlantic Bigh t. The depths at which we observed tilefish off Florida (150-290 m), b ased on submersible observations and sidescan sonar operations during 1983 and 1984, were similar to those recorded in 1975-1977 (137-266 m) before the inception of the directed fishery. Both are similar to the range observed in the Mid-Atlantic Bight although tilefish there can be found at shallower and slightly deeper depths (80-305 m). The large st burrows off Florida (1.5-m diameter) were smaller than those observ ed in the Mid-Atlantic Bight (up to 5 m). The behavior of tilefish aro und the burrow and the invertebrates and fishes co-inhabiting the burr ows off Florida are nearly identical to those in the Mid-Atlantic Bigh t. Despite the relatively narrow annual temperature range observed off Florida, abrupt changes in temperatures (+6-degrees-C) occurred over a 48-h period based on thermograph records. Our observations, and thos e of others from several areas along the U.S. east coast, suggest that this species probably constructs burrows throughout its geographic ra nge, and that temperature and sediment composition largely determine i ts distribution. Exclusion experiments off Florida, along with prior r emoval experiments in the Mid-Atlantic Bight, indicate that tilefish c onstruct and maintain the burrows.