View data on Catalog of Fishes here.
body slightly elongate; mouth large. Pseudobranch ill-defined, 45 filaments; gill filaments shorter than first ceratobranchial gillrakers; gillrakers on first arch 17 (16–18), 3 on hypobranchial; branchiostegal rays 16 (15–17), 5 on epihyal. Dorsal-fin rays 18 (16–20); pectoral finrays 14–15; pelvic finrays 8 (7–9); Anal-fin rays (28) 29–31; anal fin origin in advance of dorsal fin origin, anterior rays of both elongate; last dorsal and anal rays not split to base; dorsal adipose fin absent; anus nearer to anal than to pelvic fin origin. Swimbladder capacious. Vertebrae 36 38. Scales deciduous. Photophores (adult): SO 1, ORB 1, OP 3, BR 11–13, IV 14–15, VAV 5, AC 17 + 2 (16–18 + 1–3 = 18–21), 14–16 over anal fin; photophores absent on isthmus. Color of silvery operculum, peritoneum; dark dorsum; translucent caudal, hypaxial region; caudal, dorsal rays pigmented.
subtropical-tropical in North Atlantic, rare north of Gulf of Cadiz; northernmost record 54° 45' N, 12° 57' W (Rockall Trough); absent in Mediterranean.
mesopelagic, 100–700 m depth, showing marked stratification of size with depth, largest individuals deepest; exhibits diel colour change, darkening slightly at night.
Badcock J. 1984. Gonostomatidae. pp. 284–301. In: P.J.P. Whitehead MLB, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen, and E. Tortonese editor. Fishes of the Northeastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Paris: Unesco. p 1473 pp.
dioecious; postlarvae sink gradually with development; photophores develop over about 9–35 mm SL.
to 69 mm.
