Borostomias elucens (Brauer 1906)

View data on Catalog of Fishes here.

row of photophores beginning above anal fin and ending on tail (AC) straight, not curved upward; serial photophores in lateral row (OA) 35–40, of which 14–18 (usually 17 or fewer) behind pelvic fin insertion (VAL); 59–65 photophores in ventral series to tail (IC). Fangs in upper and lower jaws well developed, considerably longer than other teeth and straight. Barbel tip with black proximal part not swollen, distal pale part wider than black part; distal part without or with one or two filaments and not becoming more than about twice as long as wide; pale post-orbital luminous organ single. Color of head and body black.

Madeira and south. Elsewhere, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, eastern tropical Atlantic to 18° S. Indian and Pacific Oceans.

meso- to bathypelagic

Gibbs RH, Jr. 1984. Astronesthidae. In: Whitehead PJP, Bauchot M-L, Hureau J-C, Nielsen J, Tortonese E, editors. Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Paris: UNESCO. p 325–335.

to almost 350 mm SL.

Teeth on maxilla 7. POSTORB single. AC greatly arched behind the anal fin base. Stem of barbel black; the distal end forming a small, spherical white bulb lacking filaments (Ref. 559). Body moderately slender and elongate. Serial photophores not broken in small groups. Black in color (Ref. 37039).

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 16 - 17

Quite common in deep oceanic waters, usually living deeper than 500 m during the day. Smaller individuals migrate to near-surface or even surface waters at night. Feeds on midwater fishes and crustaceans.

Quite common in deep oceanic waters, usually living deeper than 500 m during the day. Smaller individuals migrate to near-surface or even surface waters at night. Feeds on midwater fishes and crustaceans (Ref. 2802).