Pollichthys mauli
Stareye Lightfish
NS
G5
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Stomiiformes
Phosichthyidae (Lightfishes)
Pollichthys
Pollichthys mauli (Stareye Lightfish)
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
Premaxillary teeth uniserial, with evenly spaced, moderately large teeth separated by one or two smaller teeth. Teeth on posterior section of maxilla similar to those on premaxilla except that smaller teeth are relatively larger. Vomer has few or no teeth, and palatine has short row of small teeth. Gill filaments moderately long and not fused at base. Gill rakers on first arch number 4 to 6 on epibranch and 11 to 13 on lower limb. Branchiostegal rays number 12, with 4 on epihyal. Dorsal adipose fin base rather long. Anus closer to anal fin origin than to pelvic fin insertion. Dorsal fin anterior to anal fin, and dorsal fin base considerably shorter than anal fin base. Dorsal fin rays number 10 to 12, and anal fin rays number 24 to 26. Last dorsal and anal fin rays usually split to base. Photophores present at symphysis of lower jaw. So located anterior to eye, and Po located posterolateral to eye. OP number 3, and BR number 8. IV number 21 or 22, and VAV number 7 to 9. OK number 19 to 21, and AC number 18 to 21.
Distribution
Eastern seaboard of the United States from about 40°N to the Bahamas, southern Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea
Habitat Associations
Tropical to subtropical seas, generally caught between 300 and 600 m during the day and from the surface to 200 m at night
Biology
Food consists of euphausiids
Maximum known size is 60 mm SL
Spawning takes place during the summer
An oceanic and mesopelagic species, adults and juveniles usually found at 200-500 m by day and the majority of them migrate into upper 100-200 m at night. Feeds mainly on small crustaceans. Dioecious with peak spawning during summer. Adult photophore complement attained at about 25-27 mm SL (Ref. 4778).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2013-05-08. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Distinguished from other species of the family by the combination of characters described
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: bycatch.
References
Grey 1959
Grey 1964
Rass 1971
Bekker et al. 1975
Murdy et al. 1983
Badcock 1984c
Schaefer et al. 1986a
Boschung 1992
Schaefer, S., R.K. Johnson and J. Badcock (1986) Photichthyidae. p. 243-247. 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) Photichthyidae. p. 343-348. 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.
Patzner, R.A. (2008) Reproductive strategies of fish. pp. 311-350. In Rocha, M.J., A. Arukwe and B.G. Kapoor (eds). Fish reproduction: cytology, biology and ecology. Science Publisher, Inc. Oxford. 631 p.
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