Hoplolatilus
Hoplolatilus is a genus of tilefishes native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. The chameleon tilefish , 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.
Species
There are currently 13 recognized species in this genus:Hoplolatilus chlupatyi Klausewitz, McCosker, J. E. Randall & Zetzsche, 1978 Hoplolatilus cuniculus J. E. Randall & Dooley, 1974 Hoplolatilus erdmanni G. R. Allen, 2007 Hoplolatilus fourmanoiri J. L. B. Smith, 1964 Hoplolatilus fronticinctus Hoplolatilus geo H. Fricke & Kacher, 1982Hoplolatilus luteus G. R. Allen & Kuiter, 1989 Hoplolatilus marcosi W. E. Burgess, 1978 Hoplolatilus oreni Hoplolatilus pohle Earle & Pyle, 1997 Hoplolatilus purpureus W. E. Burgess, 1978 Hoplolatilus randalli G. R. Allen, Erdmann & A. M. Hamilton, 2010 Hoplolatilus starcki J. E. Randall & Dooley, 1974A single fossil species, †Hoplolatilus visendus Bannikov, 1997, is known from the Middle Eocene of the North Caucasus, Russia. This is the oldest known definitive fossil tilefish, and supports this genus having a rather old origin.