The spothead lantern fish (Diaphus metopoclampus), also called the bluntnose lanternfish,[3] is a species of fish in the family Myctophidae (lanternfish).[4][5]

Spothead lantern fish
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Myctophiformes
Family: Myctophidae
Genus: Diaphus
Species:
D. metopoclampus
Binomial name
Diaphus metopoclampus
(Cocco, 1829)
Synonyms[2]
  • Aethoprora metopoclampa Cocco, 1829
  • Diaphus meteopoclampus Cocco, 1829
  • Diaphus metopoclampum Cocco, 1829
  • Myctophum metopoclampum Cocco, 1829
  • Scopelus metopoclampum Cocco, 1829

Its specific name is from Ancient Greek μέτωπον (metōpon, "forehead") and λαμπάς (lampas, "lantern").[6]

Description edit

The spothead lantern fish is black and pink in colour, with a maximum length of 7.5 cm (3.0 in).[7][8] It has a deep and short head and prominent photophores in its head.[9]

Habitat edit

Diaphus metopoclampus is bathypelagic and non-migratory, living at depths of 90–1,085 m (295–3,560 ft) in non-polar seas worldwide, typically on the continental slope.[10][7]

Behaviour edit

The spothead lantern fish attains sexual maturity at 4.8 cm (1.9 in) in length; it spawns in the spring and summer.[11]

References edit

  1. ^ "IUCN Red List of Threatened Species".
  2. ^ "Spothead lantern fish - Diaphus metopoclampus - (Cocco, 1829)". eunis.eea.europa.eu.
  3. ^ "Diaphus metopoclampus". fishesofaustralia.net.au.
  4. ^ Golani, Dani; Öztürk, Bayram; Başusta, Nuri (July 15, 2006). Fishes of the Eastern Mediterranean. Turkish Marine Research Foundation. ISBN 9789758825127 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ Furlani, Dianne; Gales, Rosemary; Pemberton, David (July 15, 2007). Otoliths of Common Australian Temperate Fish: A Photographic Guide. Csiro Publishing. ISBN 9780643092556 – via Google Books.
  6. ^ "Order MYCTOPHIFORMES (Lanternfishes)". December 7, 2018.
  7. ^ a b Smith, Margaret M.; Heemstra, Phillip C. (December 6, 2012). Smiths' Sea Fishes. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 9783642828584 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Diaphus metopoclampus (Cocco, 1829)". www.marinespecies.org.
  9. ^ Nafpaktitis, Basil G. (July 15, 1968). "Taxonomy and Distribution of the Lantern-fishes, Genera Lobianchia and Diaphus, in the North Atlantic". Høst – via Google Books.
  10. ^ "Diaphus metopoclampus, Spothead lantern fish". www.fishbase.se.
  11. ^ "Diaphus metopoclampus". fishesofaustralia.net.au.