Aggregations of myctophid fishes with other pelagic fauna

Abstract

Direct underwater observations of myctophid fishes were conducted to 630 m in submarine canyons along the outer margin of the northeast United States continental shelf with the Johnson-Sea-Link II submersible. Data revealed that myctophids occurred in aggregations of other pelagic fauna (e.g., ctenophores, sergestids, amphipods) when densities of the former were low but the latter were high. We suggest that myctophids selectively occur with other pelagic fauna to reduce the probability of direct contact with predators and to take advantage of aggregate search abilities for common prey taxa.