Bluntnose Lanternfish, Diaphus metopoclampus (Cocco 1829)


Other Names: Spothead Lantern Fish

Illustration of a Bluntnose Lanternfish, Diaphus metopoclampus. Source: South African Institute of Aquatic Biology / FishBase. License: All rights reserved


Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2018, Diaphus metopoclampus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 29 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/3096

Bluntnose Lanternfish, Diaphus metopoclampus (Cocco 1829)

More Info


Distribution

Eastern Australia from the Coral Sea, Queensland, to off ST Helens, Tasmania. Elsewhere the species is widespread in the Indo-west-central Pacific.
An oceanic, mesopelagic species that undertakes daily vertical migrations from 375-850 m during the day, up to 80 m during the night to feed.

Features

Dorsal fin 14-16 (rarely 14); Anal fin 14-16 (rarely 14 or 16); Pectoral fin 10-11; Gill rakers 7-9 (rarely 7) + 1 + 14-15, total 22-25 (rarely 22). 
Photophores: AO 6 + 6 (5, rarely 7), total 12 (11, rarely 13). 

Size

Attains sexual maturity at a length of 4.8 cm.

Biology

This species is Spawning takes place in the spring and summer (Hulley and Paxton in press). In the Mediterranean, its depth range is from 500 to 1,100 m in the east Ionian Sea (Mytilineou et al. 2005). It reaches sexual maturity at a length of 4.8 cm.

Species Citation

Myctophum metopoclampum Cocco 1829, Giornale di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti per la Sicilia (Palermo) 7 26(77): 144. Type locality: Strait of Messina, Sicily, Italy, Mediterranean Sea.

Author

Bray, D.J. 2018

Resources

Australian Faunal Directory

Bluntnose Lanternfish, Diaphus metopoclampus (Cocco 1829)

References


Battaglia, P., Esposito, V., Malara, D., Falautano, M., Castriota, L. & Andaloro, F. 2014. Diet of the spothead lanternfish Diaphus metopoclampus (Cocco, 1829) (Pisces: Myctophidae) in the central Mediterranean Sea. Italian Journal of Zoology 81(4): 530-543, DOI: 10.1080/11250003.2014.948500

Brandt, S.B. 1981. Effects of a warm-core eddy on fish distribution in the Tasman Sea off east Australia. Marine Ecology Progress Series 6: 19-33 figs 1-7

Cocco, A. 1829. Su di alcuni pesci de'mari di Messina. Giornale di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti per la Sicilia (Palermo) 7 26(77): 138-147

Hulley, P.A. 1986. Order Myctophiformes. pp. 282-322 in Smith, M.M. & Heemstra, P.C. (eds). Smith's Sea Fishes. Johannesburg : Macmillan South Africa xx + 1047 pp. 144 pls.

Hulley, P. 2015. Diaphus metopoclampus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T198613A15580024. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T198613A15580024.en. Downloaded on 08 November 2018.

Nafpaktitis, B.G. 1968. Taxonomy and distribution of the lanternfishes, genera Lobianchia and Diaphus, in the North Atlantic. Dana Report 73: 1-131, fig. 1-69, pl. I-II.

Paxton, J.R. 1979. Nominal genera and species of lanternfishes (family Myctophidae). Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History Contributions in Science 322: 1-28.

Paxton, J.R. & Hulley, P.A. 1999. Myctophidae. pp. 1957-1965 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 3 pp. 1397-2068.

Robertson, D.. & Clements, K.D. 2015. 89 Family Myctophidae. pp. 613-680 in Roberts, C.D., Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. The Fishes of New Zealand. Wellington : Te Papa Press Vol. 3 pp. 577-1152.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37122037

Biology:Bioluminescent

Conservation:IUCN Least Concern

Depth:80-1085 m

Habitat:oceanic, mesopelagic

Max Size:7.5 cm SL

Species Image Gallery

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map