Gonostoma atlanticum
No common name
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Stomiiformes
Gonostomatidae (Bristlemouths)
Gonostoma
Gonostoma atlanticum
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
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Characters
Moderately elongate and moderately slender, with a large mouth and two rows of photophores. Premaxillary teeth are uniserial and consist of large, fanglike teeth separated by small teeth. Teeth in maxilla are similar to those in premaxilla. Vomer has one or two small teeth on each side, and palatine has single row of teeth. Pseudobranch is poorly developed. Gill filaments are long and free at base. Gill rakers on first arch number 17 or 18, with 6 or 7 on epibranch, 7 on lower limb, and 4 on hypobranch. Branchiostegal rays number 14. Dorsal adipose fin is absent. Anus is closer to anal fin origin than to pelvic fin insertion. Dorsal fin has 16 to 18 rays, and anal fin has 27 to 31 rays. Last dorsal and anal fin rays are split to base. Photophores are absent on isthmus but are present on symphysis of lower jaw. One orbital photophore (ORB) is near anterior margin of orbit. OP number 3, and BR number 9. IV number 16, and VAV number 4 or 5. OA number 13 or 14, and AC number 18 to 20, with 2 between last anal fin ray and first procurrent caudal fin ray. Two supracaudal and one infracaudal gland are present.
Color is dark dorsally and silvery on flank.
Distribution
In the western Atlantic it occurs from southern Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the equator.
Habitat Associations
Tropical seas, between 300 and 500 m during the day and between 50 and 200 m during the night
Biology
Food consists of copepods and euphausiids.
Maximum known size is 68 mm SL.
Mesopelagic (Ref. 58302). Exhibit diel vertical migrations, juveniles and adults mainly at 300-600 by day and at 50-200 by night (Ref. 4463, 58302). Feed on copepods and euphausiids (Ref. 4769). Photophores developing in fishes over 12-20 mm SL (Ref. 4769). Oviparous, with planktonic eggs and larvae (Ref. 35800).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders. Oviparous (Ref. 35800).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2013-05-17. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Distinguished from the other species of the family by the combination of characters described.
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: of no interest.
References
Grey 1964
Rass 1971
Bekker et al. 1975
Murdy et al. 1983
Badcock 1984a
Schaefer et al. 1986b
Schaefer, S., R.K. Johnson and J. Badcock (1986) Gonostomatidae. p. 247-253. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Quéro, J.-C., J.C. Njock and M.M. de la Hoz (1990) Gonostomatidae. p. 283-292. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 1.
Badcock, J. (1984) Gonostomatidae. p. 284-301. In P.J.P. Whitehead, M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen and E. Tortonese (eds.) Fishes of the north-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. volume 1. UNESCO, Paris.
Watson, W. (1996) Gonostomatidae: bristlemouths. p. 247-267. In H.G. Moser (ed.) The early stages of fishes in the California Current Region. California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI) Atlas No. 33. Allen Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas. 1505 p.
Yang, J., Z. Huang, S. Chen and Q. Li (1996) The Deep-Water Pelagic Fishes in the Area form Nansha Islands To the Northeast part of South China Sea. Science Publication Company, Beijing. 190 pp.
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