Family | Scientific Name | Author | Year | Common Name |
Myctophidae | Lobianchia sp. | Gatti | 1904 | Unspecified Lanternfish |
Unique Characters: Three or more precaudal (1 may be at or above lateral midline at base of caudal peduncle). Dorsonasal present; either 2 horizontal Pol near lateral line or VO1-3 on a straight ascending line with VO4-5 level. VO1-3 on a straight, inclined, ascending line with VO4-5 level. 1 caudal gland. 1 Pol. Supracaudal (males) and infracaudal (females) well developed. 1 pair (dorso-nasal) of luminous organs on head; luminous scale at suprapectoral absent.
Species in the Genus Lobianchia:
Lobianchia dofleini (Zugmayer 1911), Mediterranean Divinglamp
Diagnosis: dorsal finrays 16 (15-17); anal finrays 14 (13-15); pectora finrays 12 (11-13). Gillrakers 5 (4-6) + 1 + 13 (12-14), total 19 (18-20 rarely 17 or 21). AO 5 (4-6) + 5 (4-6), total 10 (11, rarely 9). Males with supra-caudal gland only, consisting of 7-8 luminous scales, flanked by smaller triangular scales to achieve quincunx pattern. Females with infra caudal gland only, consisting of 3-4 luminous scales, flanked by trian gular scales. Size: to 50 mm (eastern North Atlantic and South Atlantic or to 38 mm (western North Atlantic).
Lobianchia gemellarii (Cocco 1838), Cocco’s Lanternfish
Diagnosis: dorsal finrays 17 (rarely 16 or 18); anal finrays 14 (rarely 13 or 15); pectoral finrays 12 (11, rarely 13). Gillrakers: (Atlantic: north of 40° N) 6 (rarely 5 or 7) + 1 + 14 (13, rarely 12 or 15), total 21 rarely 19 or 22); (Atlantic: 20°-40° N) 4 (5) + I + 10 (11, rarely total 15 (16-17, rarely 18); (Atlantic: 4°N-12°S) 5 + 1 + 11-12, total 17-18; (western South Atlantic) 4-5 + 1 + 11 (10-12), total 16-17 (15-18); (eastern South Atlantic) 4 (rarely 5) + 1 + 10 (11, rarely 12), total 15-16 (rarely 18). AO 5 (6, rarely 4) + 6 (7, rarely 5), total 11 (12, rarely 10). Males with supra-caudal gland only, consisting of about 6 luminous scales, flanked by triangular scales to form quincunx pattern. Females with infra-caudal gland only, consisting of 3-4 luminous scales, flan by triangular scales. Size: to 60 mm (breeding population) or greater than 100 mm (expatriates).
Similar Species: None.
References:
Craddock, J.E. and K.E. Hartel. 2002. Myctophidae. Lanternfishes. Pp 944-951. In The living marine resources of the Western Central Atlantic. Volume 2: Bony fishes part 1 (Acipenseridae to Grammatidae). K.E. Carpenter (ed.). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes and American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Special Publication No. 5. Rome, Italy. pp. 601-1374.
Marine Species Identification Portal. Accessed at: http://species-identification.org/index.php.
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