Lampanyctus crocodilus (Risso, 1810)
Jewel lanternfish
Lampanyctus crocodilus
photo by Costa, F.

Family:  Myctophidae (Lanternfishes), subfamily: Lampanyctinae
Max. size:  30 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  bathypelagic; marine; depth range 0 - 1200 m, oceanodromous
Distribution:  Eastern Atlantic: strays as far north as Dohrn Bank (off East Greenland) and off northwest Iceland, from British Isles to Mauritanian Upwelling Region including the Mediterranean (Ref. 4479). Western Atlantic: as shallow as 46 m in Ungava Bay, Canada, in slope water region (Ref. 5951).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-14; Anal soft rays: 16-18. Distinguished from other species of Lampanyctus by the pattern of its photophores and by its short pectoral fins located just behind gill opening (Ref. 5571). Photophores along ventral post-anal region (AO): 6 (7) + 8 (7-9) = 14 (13-16) (Ref. 4775).
Biology:  High-oceanic, between 700-1,000 m during the day (with juveniles in the upper 200 m) and 45-250 m and 4000-1,000 m at night (Ref. 4479). Depth range from 318-1192 m in the eastern Ionian Sea (Ref. 56504). Epipelagic to bathypelagic, feeds on zooplankton (Ref. 58426). Catches of lanternfishes off the west coast of South Africa: 1,134-42,560 mt (Ref. 5571). Minimum depth from Ref. 58018.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 10 July 2012 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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