Idiacanthus atlanticus

Idiacanthus atlanticus (commonly known as the black dragonfish) is a barbeled dragonfish of the family Stomiidae, found circumglobally in southern subtropical and temperate oceans between latitudes 25°S and 60°E, at depths down to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft). The species is sexually dimorphic: females are black with six stripes; males are brown, and lack the females' canine teeth, pelvic fins and barbel. Females are believed to make a diel vertical migration from deeper than 500 metres (1,600 ft) by day to surface waters at night, whereas males do not migrate, remaining below 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) at all times.[2][3]

Idiacanthus atlanticus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Stomiiformes
Family:
Stomiidae
Genus:
Idiacanthus
Species:
I. atlanticus
Binomial name
Idiacanthus atlanticus

Length is up to 40 centimetres (16 in) for the female, but only 5 centimetres (2.0 in) for the male. Black dragonfish are bioluminescent, but unlike most such predators, which use their light primarily to attract prey, they can see their own light. As a result, the fish can use their light to hunt. The light is nearly in the infrared and barely visible to the human eye.[4]

In the larval stage, the eyes of the larvae appear as long stalks that dangle out of the body. Eventually, they retreat as the fish ages and reaches maturity.[4]

References
  1. Harold, A..; Strongin, K.; Polidoro, B; Carpenter, K.E.. (2015). "Idiacanthus atlanticus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  2. Ayling, Tony; Cox, Geoffrey J. (1982). Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand. Auckland, New Zealand: William Collins. ISBN 978-0-00216-987-5.
  3. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2006). "Idiacanthus atlanticus" in FishBase. May 2006 version.
  4. Creighton, Jolene. "Aliens of the Deep: The Black Dragonfish". From Quarks to Quasars. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
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