Frilled Lighthouse Fish

Body elongate; eyes normal, lateral; inter-orbital broad, its minimum width more than 13% head length; mouth large; premaxillary teeth uniserial. Gillrakers on first arch 15–17 + 6–7 = 21–23. Dorsal finrays (13) 14–15, followed by a short dorsal adipose fin; pectoral finrays 9–10 (11); pelvic finrays 7, its base in advance of dorsal fin origin; anal finrays 14–15 (13–16), its origin beneath end of dorsal fin base, its base about equal to dorsal fin base. Anus under (seventh) eighth to ninth VAV photophore. Vertebrae 40–42. Photophores (adult): SO l; ORB 2; BR 8; OP 3; IV 22–23; VAV 10 (9–11); AC 13–14; OA 23–24. Color of back dark, flanks silvery; pigment streak associated with SO (fishes over about 20 mm SL); premaxillae pigmented; pigment patch at anteriormost IV (fishes over about 21 mm SL); upper pectoral and outer (second to fourth or fifth) caudal rays speckled (fishes over about 40 mm SL); in juveniles (under about 21 mm SL) caudal melanophore in ventral position, present or disappearing.

Circumglobal, tropical; sampled infrequently in Clofnam area to about 37° N; absent in Mediterranean.

Pre-metamorphic post-larvae in upper 50 m; metamorphic post larvae at 300–400 m; juveniles and adults at 200–400 m by day; diel vertical migrator, juveniles and adults occupying upper 100 m at night.

Badcock J. 1984. Photichthyidae. pp. 318–324. 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.

To 48 mm SL.

Diet consists redominantly copepods, feeding intensively afternoon early evening.

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13 - 15; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 13 - 16

A mesopelagic species which feeds mainly at night on plankton (Ref. 9044).

Dorsum dark, flanks silvery; upper pectoral and outer caudal speckled (Ref. 3988). Two suborbital photophores present, anal fin originated beneath the middle or latter half of the dorsal fin (Ref. 37473).

Epi- to abyssopelagic (Ref. 58302) but usually mesopelagic, mainly found at 200-400 m by day and upper 100 m by night (Ref. 4778). Both juveniles and adults exhibit diel vertical migration (Ref. 4778). Feeds mainly on copepods, feeding intensively in the afternoon to early evening (Ref. 4778). Adult photophore complement attained at about 18-20 mm SL (Ref. 4778).

廣泛分布於印度-太平洋及大西洋海域之中層洋帶至深層帶。台灣海域紀錄深度為695-715公尺。

背鰭軟條數：13-14; 臀鰭軟條數：14(13-16); 胸鰭條數：8-9(9-10); 腹鰭條數：7; 脊椎骨數：39-44; 發光器排列：OS 1; BR 8(7-8); IP 8-9(7); PV 13-14(14-17); VAV 8(9-11); AC 13-14(12-15); IC 42-45(45-47); OA 20-23; 所有之縱列發光器呈直線排列。體色：背部體色較深，體側呈銀白色。眼下發光器兩個；臀鰭基部起點在背鰭基部終點之後方。

The oceanic lightfish (Vinciguerria nimbaria) a lightfish of the genus Vinciguerria, is found in all deep tropical and subtropical oceans and seas, from depths of 20 to 5,000 m. Its length is between 2 and 5 cm. It is the main prey of tuna during the tuna fishing season (late autumn and winter) in the equatorial Atlantic. Its own diet is varied and is dependent on its location. In equatorial locations it has been found to behave as a mesopelagic fish and as an opportunistic mesozooplankton feeder, whilst further north in oligotrophic typical tropical structures it was found to behave as an epipelagic fish, feeding on the dominant small prey during the daytime.

Adults and juveniles found at 200-400 m by day and upper 100 m by night. Exhibits diel vertical migration. Feeds mainly on copepods, feeding intensively in the afternoon to early evening. Dioecious. Adult photophore complement attained at about 18-20 mm SL (Ref. 4778).

Feeds mainly on copepods, feeding intensively in the afternoon to early evening

Scotian Shelf and Bay of Fundy to Bermuda

Found at depths of 200- 400 m (day), upper 100 m (night).

nektonic

Known from seamounts and knolls