Teleostei (teleosts) >
Myctophiformes (Lanternfishes) >
Myctophidae (Lanternfishes) > Gymnoscopelinae
Etymology: Gymnoscopelus: Greek, gymnos = naked + Greek, skopelos, a lantern fish (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: John Treadwell Nichols (1883–1958) was an American ichthyologist, mammalogist and ornithologist. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Gilbert.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathypelagic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 300 - ? m (Ref. 4066). Deep-water; 35°S - 78°S
Generally ranges between Antarctica and 35°S (off Argentina), 47°S (Falkland Current region), and 47°-49°S (between 45°E and 71°E). Adults occur only in high latitudes (South Orkneys, South Shetlands, Antarctic Peninsula); juveniles and adults in waters around South Georgia and central Scotia Sea.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 19.1 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 124149); max. published weight: 47.10 g (Ref. 124149)
South of the Antarctic Polar Front, adults occur in upper 250 m of open ocean and over continental shelves and oceanic banks (spring-summer) during the day, migrating to 50- 100 m at night. Also mesopelagic (Ref. 4066). Feeds on euphausiids and euphausiid larvae, hyperiids, mysids, copepods, and amphipods.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Hulley, P.A., 1990. Myctophidae. p. 146-178. In O. Gon and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Fishes of the Southern Ocean. J.L.B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology, Grahamstown, South Africa. (Ref. 5182)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
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