Hygophum macrochir
No common name
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Myctophiformes (Lanternfishes)
Myctophidae (Lanternfishes)
Hygophum
Hygophum macrochir
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.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Moderately slender and compressed; relatively small mouth; anal fin base distinctly longer than dorsal fin base; snout moderately blunt; jaws extend slightly beyond posterior orbital margin; maxilla broadly expanded posteriorly; posterior margin of operculum broadly convex with blunt angular protrusion below PLO photophore; gill rakers 19-21; dorsal fin originates slightly behind pelvic fin base with 12-14 rays; pectoral fin extends posterior to SAO with 13-15 rays; anal fin originates near end of dorsal fin base with 18-20 rays; Dn, Vn, and Suo present; PVO, PVO, and PO in straight line; PLO closer to upper end of pectoral fin base than to lateral line; 5 PO; VLO midway between lateral line and pelvic fin base; 4 VO; SAO form obtuse angle; SAO anterior to VO, and SAO directly over or posterior to anal fin origin and in contact with lateral line; Po anterior to last AOa, and Pol in contact with lateral line; AOa number 4-6, and AOp number 5-7 with 2-4 over anal fin base; 2 Prc separated from AOp series, and Prc in contact with lateral line; males have supracaudal luminous gland with 5-7 scalelike structures; females have infracaudal luminous gland with 1-3 patches of luminous tissue
Distribution
Southeastern Florida and the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico (rare)
Habitat Associations
Tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean; daytime depths 275-750 m, nighttime depths surface-125 m
Biology
Maximum known size 60 mm SL
Maturity reached at about 45-55 mm SL
High-oceanic, mesopelagic species. Found at 275-750 m during the day, nyctoepipelagic at surface and down to 125 m (maximum abundance at the surface and at 50 m) (Ref. 4479).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2012-07-10. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
References
Nafpaktitis et al. 1977
Gartner et al. 1987
Hulley, P.A. (1990) Myctophidae. p. 398-467. 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.
Comments On Hygophum macrochir