| Idiacanthus | |
|---|---|
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| Black Dragonfish (I. atlanticus) | |
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| Ribbon Sawtail Fish (I. fasciola) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Stomiiformes |
| Family: | Stomiidae |
| Subfamily: | Idiacanthinae |
| Genus: | Idiacanthus W. K. H. Peters, 1877 |
Idiacanthus is a genus of barbeled dragonfishes, the larvae of which are noted for exhibiting the Stylophthalmine trait.
There are currently three recognized species in this genus: [1]
Members of this genus have been found from the mesopelagic zone to the bathypelagic zone. [2] Idiacanthus atlanticus is found in subtropical to temperate habitats, mainly in the southern hemisphere. [3] Idiacanthus fasciola is more widely distributed, found in both North and South Atlantic as well as the Indo-Pacific and other areas. [4] Idiacanthus antrostomus is mainly found in the Eastern Pacific. [5]
The average fertile Idiacanthus fasciola female is known to hold approximately 14,000 eggs. Eggs found in the ovaries’ anterior region were full, but paler than eggs found in the posterior region. For the anterior region eggs, oil globules were not found either. [6]
Male and female idiacanthidae are distinguishable from their fin differences. Male idiacanthidae have developed pelvic fins, whereas female idiacanthidae have no paired fins. [7] Through evolution, notochord sheaths in Idiacanthus antrostomus have aligned to a straight connection from the occiput to the first vertebra. [8] Female idiacanthidae can reach 40 cm in length whereas males have been recorded to only reach a maximum of 5 cm.
Female I. atlanticus have small eyes, a chin barbel, and large jaw teeth. The smaller male has neither teeth, chin barbel, nor a functioning gut. Both males and females have small photophores spread throughout the body. Larger photophores can be found along the body side. [9] Female idiacanthidae have a dorsal fin with a long base anterior to its midbody. Females have black skin while male idiacanthidae are dark brown. [10]
For I. fasciola, females have a well-ossified skeleton while males have a cartilaginous skeleton. There are also the aforementioned differences of teeth, barbel, and black vs brown color. [11]
Idiacanthidae have a snout equal or less than their bony orbit length with nostrils closer to their eyes than snout. Their premaxilla, maxilla, and mandible teeth are almost all capable of being depressed. [12] Idiacanthidae also present pectoral fins in larvae, but have an absence in adulthood. [10]
Idiacanthus possess a luminous spherical organ that hangs off the lower jaw as a thin barbell. [13] Along both the dorsal and ventral sides of its body, the Idiacanthus has a single strip of chevron-shaped spots of luminescent tissue that, when stimulated, appears to glow either yellow or blue-green. [13] Similar tissue is also found radiating along its fins. [13] Studies by William T. O'Day in 1973 have shown that this tissue can be stimulated by injection of adrenaline into the muscle, topical application of adrenaline, submersion of the body in a solution of sea water and adrenaline, and occasionally tactile touch. [13] The duration of the emitted light has only been observed to be a few seconds long. [13]
Stomiiformes is an order of deep-sea ray-finned fishes of very diverse morphology. It includes, for example, dragonfishes, lightfishes, loosejaws, marine hatchetfishes and viperfishes. The order contains 4 families with more than 50 genera and at least 410 species. As usual for deep-sea fishes, there are few common names for species of the order, but the Stomiiformes as a whole are often called dragonfishes and allies or simply stomiiforms.
The Pacific viperfish, Chauliodus macouni, is a predatory deep-sea fish found in the North Pacific. It is reported as being either mesopelagic or bathypelagic, with diel vertical migration to shallower waters. The Pacific viperfish is one of the nine different species that belong to the genus Chauliodus, the viperfish. The Pacific viperfish tend to be the largest of the species, typically reaching lengths of up to 1 foot and are considered an example of deep-sea gigantism. The length-weight relationship of the pacific viperfish varies with sex with females tending to be longer and heavier than males.
A viperfish is any species of marine fish in the genus Chauliodus. Viperfishes are mostly found in the mesopelagic zone and are characterized by long, needle-like teeth and hinged lower jaws. A typical viperfish grows to lengths of 30 cm (12 in). Viperfishes undergo diel vertical migration and are found all around the world in tropical and temperate oceans. Viperfishes are capable of bioluminescence and possess photophores along the ventral side of their body, likely used to camouflage them by blending in with the less than 1% of light that reaches to below 200 meters depth.
Stomiidae is a family of deep-sea ray-finned fish, including the barbeled dragonfishes. They are quite small, usually around 15 cm, up to 26 cm. These fish are apex predators and have enormous jaws filled with fang-like teeth. They are also able to hinge the neurocranium and upper-jaw system, which leads to the opening of the jaw to more than 100 degrees. This ability allows them to consume extremely large prey, often 50% greater than their standard length.
The stoplight loosejaws are small, deep-sea dragonfishes of the genus Malacosteus, classified either within the subfamily Malacosteinae of the family Stomiidae, or in the separate family Malacosteidae. They are found worldwide, outside of the Arctic and Subantarctic, in the mesopelagic zone below a depth of 500 meters. This genus once contained three nominal species: M. niger, M. choristodactylus, and M. danae, with the validity of the latter two species being challenged by different authors at various times. In 2007, Kenaley examined over 450 stoplight loosejaw specimens and revised the genus to contain two species, M. niger and the new M. australis.
Malacosteus niger, commonly known as the black dragon fish, is a species of deep-sea fish. Some additional common names for this species include: northern stoplight loosejaw, lightless loosejaw, black loosejaw, and black hinged-head. It belongs to the family Stomiidae, or dragonfishes. It is among the top predators of the open mesopelagic zone. M. niger is a circumglobal species, which means that it inhabits waters ranging from the tropics to the subarctics. Not many studies have been conducted on its feeding habits, but recent research suggests that M. niger primarily feed on calanoid copepods which is a form of zooplankton. Indeed, it appears that M. niger primarily prey on zooplankton despite its apparent morphological adaptations for the consumption of relatively large prey. Another unique adaptation for this species is its ability to produce both red and blue bioluminescence. Most mesopelagic species aren't capable of producing red bioluminescence. This is advantageous because most other species cannot perceive red light, therefore allowing M. niger to camouflage part of itself to its prey and predators.
Sloane's viperfish, Chauliodus sloani, is a predatory mesopelagic dragonfish found in waters across the world. The species was first described by German scientists Marcus Elieser Bloch and Johann Gottlob Schneider in their 1801 book Systema ichthyologiae: iconibus CX illustratum, volume 1. Female C. sloani reach maturity between 133 and 191 mm, while males likely reach maturity at slightly smaller body lengths. It has two rows of photophores along its ventral side. It is believed that C. sloani can adjust the intensity of bioluminescence of the ventral photophores to camouflage itself from predators that might see its shadow from below.
This glossary of ichthyology is a list of definitions of terms and concepts used in ichthyology, the study of fishes.
Idiacanthus atlanticus, the black dragonfish, is a barbeled dragonfish of the family Stomiidae, found circumglobally in southern subtropical and temperate oceans between latitudes 25°S and 60°S, at depths down to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). The species is sexually dimorphic: females are black with six stripes; males are brown, and lack the females' canine teeth, pelvic fins and barbel. They can weigh between 13-15 grams. Females are believed to make a diel vertical migration from deeper than 500 metres (1,600 ft) by day to surface waters at night, whereas males do not migrate, remaining below 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) at all times.
Stomias boa boa, also called the scaly dragonfish or boa dragonfish, is a subspecies of abyssal barbeled dragonfish of the family Stomiidae. It is found at great depths worldwide in tropical to temperate oceans but is absent from the northern Pacific and northwest Atlantic Oceans.
The ribbon sawtail fish, Idiacanthus fasciola, is a barbeled dragonfish of the family Stomiidae, found around the world at depths over 500 m between latitudes 40° N and 54° S. Length is up to 35 cm in general for the female, and 15 cm for the male.
Eustomias schmidti, more commonly known as the scaleless dragonfish, is one of the many species included in the family of Stomiidae. Despite its small size, the scaleless dragonfish is a dangerous predator in the deep oceanic waters that uses its self-generated light to attract its prey.
Scaleless dragonfish may refer to:
Aristostomias is a genus of barbeled dragonfishes native to the ocean depths in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
Pachystomias microdon, the smalltooth dragonfish, is a species of barbeled dragonfish found in the oceans at depths of from 660 to 4,000 metres. This species grows to a length of 22.1 centimetres (8.7 in) SL. This species is the only known species in its genus.
Black dragonfish is a common name for several fish and may refer to the listed fish that appear underneath. These fish are the:
Astronesthes richardsoni, or Richardson's snaggletooth, is a species of small, deep sea fish in the family Stomiidae. It occurs in the tropical western Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. First described by the Cuban zoologist Felipe Poey in 1852, it was named Chauliodus richardsoni in honour of the Scottish explorer and naturalist John Richardson. It was later transferred to the genus Astronesthes.
The large-eye snaggletooth, also called the straightline dragonfish or Antarctic snaggletooth, is a species of fish in the family Stomiidae.
Leptostomias gladiator is a species of fish in the family Stomiidae. It is sometimes called the scaleless dragonfish, but that name is shared with many other species.
Stomias boa ferox is a subspecies of deep-sea fish in the family Stomiidae.
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