Symbolophorus veranyi

Symbolophorus veranyi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Myctophiformes
Family: Myctophidae
Genus: Symbolophorus
Species:
S. veranyi
Binomial name
Symbolophorus veranyi
(Moreau, 1888)
Synonyms

Scopelus veranyi Moreau, 1888 Stylophthalmus mediterraneus Mazzarelli, 1909 Symbolophorus verany (Moreau, 1888)

Symbolophorus veranyi, the large-scale lantern fish, is a species of fish in the family Myctophidae.[1][2]

Etymology

Symbolophorus takes its name from the Greek symbolon meaning mark or signal and pherein, meaning to carry; this refers to the strongly angulated series of supra-anal photophores.[3] The specific name of S. veranyi honours French pharmacist-naturalist Jean Baptist Vérany, the co-founder and director of the Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle de Nice, near which S. veranyi was first found.[4]

Description

Symbolophorus veranyi reaches a maximum length of 12.5cm and has a maximum recorded weight of 21.3g.[2] This fish has a fusiform or torpedo-like body shape. The eyes are fairly large. Like other lanternfishes, S. veranyi has a species-specific arrangement of light organs on its underside and flanks, including a strongly angulate pattern of supra-anal photophores that distinguishes this genus from other myctophids.

Distribution and habitat

Symbolophorus veranyi is a mesopelagic fish with a wide distribution across the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean. This species engages in diel vertical migration, remaining at depths of 550-700m during daylight hours and ascending near the surface at night. There is some size stratification at night, with smaller individuals found at deeper depths than larger adults.[2]

Diet and predators

Symbolophorus veranyi feeds on a variety of zooplankton and micronekton, including amphipods and other fishes.[5][6] It is a prey item for a variety of oceanic predators, including swordfish and Common dolphins.[7][8]

Reproduction

In the Mediterranean, S. veranyi appears to spawn year-round [9], however juveniles may be more abundant in certain parts of the year, as evidenced by stranding events in the Strait of Messina.[10]

References

  1. ^ "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Symbolophorus veranyi (Moreau, 1888)". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  2. ^ a b c Froese, R; Pauly, D (2026-03-20). "Symbolophorus veranyi (Moreau, 1888)". FishBase. Retrieved 2026-03-20.
  3. ^ Scharpf, Christopher. "Family MYCTOPHIDAE Gill 1893 (Lanternfishes)". ETYFish.
  4. ^ Moreau, É (1888). "Le Scopèle de Vérany. Scopelus Veranyi". Bulletin de la Société philomathique de Paris. 7th Série. 12: 108–111.
  5. ^ Garcia-Seoane, Eva; Cruz, Joana; Garrido, Susana; Melle, Webjorn. "Diet and feeding strategies of myctophids in the Northeast Atlantic". Marine Ecology Progress Series (762): 65–85.
  6. ^ Podrazhanskaya, SG (1993). "Feeding Habits of Mesopelagic Species of Fish and Estimation of Plankton Graze in the Northwest Atlantic" (PDF). NAFO Scientific Council Studies. 19: 79–85.
  7. ^ Chancollon, Odile; Pusineri, Claire; Ridoux, Vincent (2006-01-01). "Food and feeding ecology of Northeast Atlantic swordfish (Xiphias gladius) off the Bay of Biscay". ICES Journal of Marine Science. 63 (6): 1075–1085. doi:10.1016/j.icesjms.2006.03.013. ISSN 1095-9289.
  8. ^ Spitz, Jérôme; Mourocq, Emeline; Leauté, Jean-Pierre; Quéro, Jean-Claude; Ridoux, Vincent (2010-07-31). "Prey selection by the common dolphin: Fulfilling high energy requirements with high quality food". Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 390 (2): 73–77. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2010.05.010. ISSN 0022-0981.
  9. ^ Goodyear, Richard H.; Gibbs, Robert H. Jr; Roper, Clyde F. E.; Kleckner, Robert C.; Sweeney, Michael J.; Zahuranec, Bernard J.; Pugh, W. Lawrence (1972). "MEDITERRANEAN BIOLOGICAL STUDIES" (PDF). Mediterranean Biological Studies. 1.
  10. ^ Battaglia, Pietro; Ammendolia, Giovanni; Cavallaro, Mauro; Consoli, Pierpaolo; Esposito, Valentina; Malara, Danilo; Rao, Ignazio; Romeo, Teresa; Andaloro, Franco (2017). "Influence of lunar phases, winds and seasonality on the stranding of mesopelagic fish in the Strait of Messina (Central Mediterranean Sea)". Marine Ecology. 38 (5) e12459. doi:10.1111/maec.12459. ISSN 1439-0485.