Vinciguerria lucetia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Vinciguerria lucetia | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Stomiiformes |
| Family: | Phosichthyidae |
| Genus: | Vinciguerria |
| Species: | V. lucetia |
| Binomial name | |
| Vinciguerria lucetia | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Vinciguerria lucetia is a species of marine ray-finned fish in the genus Vinciguerria known by the common name Panama lightfish. It is a small bioluminescent fish, with two rows of tiny photophores along its body. It is very abundant in the tropical Indo-Pacific where it makes large vertical migrations each day.
Vinciguerria lucetia is a small fish growing to a maximum length of about 5 cm (2 in). It is an elongated, laterally compressed species with a disproportionately large head which is compressed and conical, with a wide mouth and pointed snout. There are photophores on the head and two lateral rows of pearl-like photophores on the underside of the body. The dorsal fin is short and consists of thirteen to fourteen soft rays. The origin of the anal fin, which consists of fourteen to fifteen soft rays, is below the rear of the dorsal fin. The pectoral fins are set low on the body and the caudal fin is deeply forked. The dorsal surface of this fish is blackish, with a few dark-coloured transverse stripes, and the flanks and belly are silvery. There is a black spot at the tip of the tail.[2]
