Animal Species:Largescale Neoscopelid, Neoscopelus macrolepidotus Johnson, 1863

The Largescale Neoscopelid is a deepsea species that has a row of photophores along the midline of the belly.

Alternative Name/s

Large-scaled Lanternfish, Largescale New Lanternfish, Largescaled Neoscopelid

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.

Size range

The species grows to 25 cm in length.

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.

Neoscopelus macrolepidotus

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Largescale Neoscopelid specimens in the Australian Museums.

What does this mean?

Habitat

The Largescale Neoscopelid occurs in continental slope waters.

Classification

Species:
macrolepidotus
Genus:
Neoscopelus
Family:
Neoscopelidae
Order:
Myctophiformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

 


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags Fishes, Ichthyology, Largescale Neoscopelid, Neoscopelus macrolepidotus, Neoscopelidae, deepsea, photophores, Large-scaled Lanternfish, Largescale New Lanternfish, deciduous scales, brown, pink, 10 cm - 30 cm, tropical water, temperate water, continental slope,