Lanternfish Lepidophanes guentheri | Laternenfisch

[captive] Lepidophanes guentheri, a species of the large group of lanternfish (or myctophid, family Myctophidae, 246 species, mykter = Greek for ‘nose’ and ophis for ‘serpent‘) shows a pattern of paired light-producing cells (photophores) located along the ventral sides and at the head. They serve to mask the fish by counterillumination and are used in intraspecific communication (shoaling, courtship). This rather small deep sea fish species (adult approx. 8 cm) performs diurnal vertical migrations: during daylight hours it can be found at depths of > 400m, at night it ascends to < 100 m. Its habitat is therefore the mesopelagic (or twilight) zone. The widely distributed and numerous species of the family of lanternfish account for a great part of the overall biomass of deep sea fish: about 65%. As such they play an important ecological role as prey species for all kinds of larger marine vertebrates (fish, sea birds, marine mammals).

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Filename: 20071121_pol0878a.jpg
Copyright: Solvin Zankl
Image Size: 5400x3615 / 5.5MB; https://www.photoshelter.com/support/license; https://solvinzankl.photoshelter.com/p/faq; ATLANTIK Abyss Abyssal Abyssal Sea Animal Animals Atlantic BIOLUMINESZENZ Bioluminescence Bioluminescencent light Bioluminescent Captive Census of Marine Life Deep Sea Deep Sea Fish Deep Sea Plankton Deep-Sea Deep-Sea Creature Deep-sea biology Deepsea Deepwater FISCH FISCHE FISCHFAUNA FLOSSE FLOSSEN Fascinating Faszinierend Fish Fish fauna Fishes Holoplankton L LATERNEFISCH LATERNENFISCH LEUCHTEND LEUCHTORGAN LEUCHTORGANE Lanternfish Light Organs Luminescent Luminescent organ Luminous Luminous spots Lure MARIN MARINE BIODIVERSITÄT MEER MEERE MEERESBIOLOGIE MEERESFISCH MEERESFISCHE MEERESLEBEWESEN MEERESTIERE MEERESÖKOLOGIE MYCTOPHIDAE Marine Marine Fish Marine Fishes Marine Zooplankton Marine biodiversity Marine biology Marine creatures Marine ecology NACHTAKTIV No People Nocturnal OZEAN OZEANE OZEANFORSCHUNG OZEANOGRAPHIE Oceanography PELAGISCH PHOTOPHORE PHOTOPHOREN PLANKTON POIKILOTHERM POLARSTERN Pelagic Photophores Pisces Planktonic Planktons Ray-finned fishes SALZWASSER STRAHLENFLOSSER Saltwater Scary Sea Studio TIEFSEE TIEFSEEBIOLOGIE TIEFSEETIER TIEFSEETIERE TIER TIERE The Deep Twilight UNTERWASSER UNTERWASSERAUFNAHME UNTERWASSERWELT Under Water Underwater Vertebrata Vertebrate Vertebrates WECHSELWARM WIRBELTIER WIRBELTIERE ZOOPLANKTON lateral marine animals
Contained in galleries: Bioluminescence | Biolumineszenz, Deep sea | Tiefsee, Leuchtendes Leben

[captive] Lepidophanes guentheri, a species of the large group of lanternfish (or myctophid, family Myctophidae, 246 species, mykter = Greek for ‘nose’ and ophis for ‘serpent‘) shows a pattern of paired light-producing cells (photophores) located along the ventral sides and at the head. They serve to mask the fish by counterillumination and are used in intraspecific communication (shoaling, courtship). This rather small deep sea fish species (adult approx. 8 cm) performs diurnal vertical migrations: during daylight hours it can be found at depths of > 400m, at night it ascends to < 100 m. Its habitat is therefore the mesopelagic (or twilight) zone. The widely distributed and numerous species of the family of lanternfish account for a great part of the overall biomass of deep sea fish: about 65%. As such they play an important ecological role as prey species for all kinds of larger marine vertebrates (fish, sea birds, marine mammals).