Largescale Neoscopelid, Neoscopelus macrolepidotus Johnson, 1863
Large-scaled Lanternfish, Largescale New Lanternfish, Largescaled Neoscopelid
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© NORFANZ Founding Parties
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Neoscopelus
- Species
- macrolepidotus
- Family
- Neoscopelidae
- Order
- Myctophiformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- The species grows to 25 cm in length.
Introduction
The Largescale Neoscopelid is a deepsea species that has a row of photophores along the midline of the belly.
Identification
The Largescale Neoscopelid has a single short-based dorsal fin followed by an adipose fin. It has deciduous scales that are often lost when fish are caught in trawl nets. There is a row of photophores along the midline of the belly and two rows on the sides of the body. The body is brown with tinges of pink. The head is silver and the fins are pinkish.
Habitat
The Largescale Neoscopelid occurs in continental slope waters.
Distribution
The species occurs in most tropical and temperate marine waters. In Australia it is known from the central coast of New South Wales, south to Victoria and Tasmania, and around the south of the country to the Great Australian Bight. It is also known from off north-western Western Australia.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
References
- Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
- Paxton, J.R. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
