View data on Catalog of Fishes here.
Body moderately elongate. Pseudobranch present, with 6–7 filaments; gillrakers 3 + 7 + 5 (6), total 15–16; branchiostegal rays 14. Dorsal-fin rays 14–15, behind midpoint of body, followed by a small adipose fin; pectoral finrays 11 (12); pelvic finrays 8; Anal-fin rays 28–30 (21), anal fin origin a little in advance of dorsal fin origin. Swimbladder capacious. Vertebrae 39. Photophores (adult): SO 1, ORB 1, OP 3, BR 9 (10), IV 6 + 10, VAV 5 (6), AC (19) 20, OA 13; 14–15 AC over anal fin, 3–4 between last anal and first procurrent rays; VAV 4 over anus; last OA over VAV 3; 1 supra-caudal and 2 infra-caudal glands; no glandular masses associated with SO, ORB or OA. Color of back dark, flanks silver, a distinctive dark gular pigment patch; fin rays speckled.
Temperate and subtropical Atlantic and Mediterranean.
Photophores develop in fishes over 18–35 mm SL
Mesopelagic, usually associated with continental and island slopes, juveniles and adults at 400–700 m by day, 100–200 m by night; diel vertical migrations.
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.
Hermaphroditic.
To about 140 mm SL.
Sicily [Mediterranean Sea].
No types known.
