Lampanyctus niger (Günther, 1887)
Black lantern fish

Family:  Myctophidae (Lanternfishes), subfamily: Lampanyctinae
Max. size:  14.8 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 36.7 g
Environment:  bathypelagic; marine; depth range 100 - 1015 m
Distribution:  Pacific Ocean: restricted to tropical waters, primarily the western and central parts. Also in the extreme eastern tropical Indian Ocean. South China Sea (Ref.74511).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-15; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 14-18; Vertebrae: 33-37. 9-10 tooth patches on the lower limb of the second gill arch; 10-13 AO photophores; 32-34 lateral line organs (Ref. 36121). Pectoral fins with extremely weak and flexible rays (Ref. 36121).
Biology:  Mesopelagic at 100-1000 m at night, 640-900 m during day (Ref. 58302). The two large specimens (19 and 21 cm SL) from near the Ogasawara Islands reported in Ref. 559 may represent another species (Ref. 36121).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 28 June 2018 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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