Stomiidae

Family Stomiidae

Stomias boa (Risso, 1810) —Scaly dragonfish

7 specimens were caught at depths between 728 and 914 m. Length data were available for 5 specimens ranging from 18 to 35 cm TL. Habitat and Distribution: meso- to bathypelagic at depth range 200–1,500 m, but may migrate to near-surface waters at night. Atlantic, Southeast Pacific and sub-Antarctic region of the Indian oceans and western Mediterranean Sea. Vulnerability: DD (IUCN), MV (FishBase).

Chauliodus sloani Bloch & Schneider, 1801 —Sloane's viperfish

56 specimens were caught at depths between 715 and 1,685 m. Length data were available for 42 specimens ranging from 6 to 35 cm TL (23.3±7.1). Habitat and Distribution: bathypelagic, depth range 400–2,800 m. Cosmopolitan in temperate and tropical zones of all oceans, from about 63° N to 50° S and in the Mediterranean Sea. Vulnerability: DD (IUCN), MV (FishBase).

Photostomias guernei Collett, 1889 —Loosejaw (Fig. 11)

4 specimens were caught at depths between 847 and 866 m. Length data were available for 3 specimens ranging from 10 to 12 cm TL. Biometry and meristic: 107 mm TL, 99 mm SL; HL: 18.2; PO: 3.0; POL: 13.1; ED: 2.0; IOL: 4.0; PD: 84.8; LD: 12.1; PA: 83.8; LA: 13.1; PV: 46.5; LV: 42.4; H: 12.1; D: 22;A: 27. Photophores: OA: 37; IC: 55. Habitat and Distribution: mesopelagic during daylight to epipelagic at night, at depth range 1,138–3,100 m. Amphi-Atlantic, in temperate and northern subtropical waters of the North Atlantic. Kenaley & Hartel (2005) reported this species south to 3º58'N in the eastern Atlantic, but Quéro et al. (2003) recorded this species in Portugal and south of Spain. The specimens captured in the Galicia Bank could constitute a new northern limit for this species in the eastern Atlantic. Vulnerability: DD (IUCN), LV (FishBase).

Melanostomias bartonbeani Parr, 1927 —Scaleless black dragonfish

1 specimen was caught at a depth of 877 m. Biometry and meristic: 187 mm TL, 169 mm SL; HL: 14.2; BL: 18.9; H: 9.5; D: 13; A: 18; P: 5; V: 7. Photophores: PV: 24. Habitat and Distribution: Meso- to bathypelagic at depth range 25–2,000 m. Nearly cosmopolitan in tropical and subtropical oceanic waters, apparently absent from the eastern Indian and western Central Pacific oceans. In the eastern Atlantic from 56°N to south of Guinea Bissau and also from Namibia to South Africa. Vulnerability: DD (IUCN), MV (FishBase).

Flagellostomias boureei (Zugmayer, 1913) —Longbarb dragonfish

1 specimen was caught at depths between 768 and 786 m. Biometry and meristic: 216 mm TL; 208 mm SL; HL: 13.0; PO: 4.3; POL: 5.8; ED: 2.9; IOL: 2.9; BL: 29.8 (broken); PD: 87.5; LD: 8.2; PA: 83.7; LA: 13.9; PV: 13.5; PD: 83.7; LV: 13.5; LP: H: 9.6; D: 13; A: 28; P: 10; V: 12. Habitat and Distribution: meso- to bathypelagic at depth range 0–3,000 m. Circumglobal in tropical through temperate seas. In the eastern Atlantic from 58ºN to 40° S. Vulnerability: DD (IUCN), MV (FishBase).

Malacosteus niger Ayres, 1848 —Stoplight loosejaw

6 specimens were caught at depths between 739 and 1,683 m. Length data were available for 3 specimens ranging from 12 to 15 cm TL. Biometry and meristic: 140 mm TL; 130 mm SL; HL: 30.0; PO: 3.1; POL: 22.3; ED: 4.6; PD: 79.2; LD: 14.6; PA: 80.8; LA: 14.6; H: 17.7; D: 17; A: 19; P: 3; V: 6. Habitat and Distribution: meso- to bathypelagic at depth range 500–3,886 m, usually 915–1,830 m. It has been suggested that this species does not undergo substantial diel vertical migration and remains below 500 m depth. Widely distributed in all oceans, mainly between 66ºN and 30ºS; unknown in the Mediterranean Sea. Vulnerability: DD (IUCN), LMV (FishBase).

Borostomias antarcticus (Lönnberg, 1905) —Snaggletooth

1 specimen of 21 cm TL was caught at a depth of 870– 896 m. Habitat and Distribution: species widely distributed in all oceans. Vulnerability: DD (IUCN), MV (FishBase).