Chauliodus Sloani Research Articles

Fatty Acid Spectra in Mesopelagic Fishes of the Myctophidae and Stomiidae Families Collected in the North East Atlantic

New data on the fatty acid compositions of the muscle tissues of the two most widespread families of the mesopelagic zone—the Myctophidae (Notoscopelus kroyeri and Symbolophorus veranyi) and Stomiidae (Chauliodus sloani, Stomias boa, Borostomias antarcticus, and Malacosteus niger) families—were obtained from the Irminger Sea (North East Atlantic). The fatty acids (FAs) in the total lipids (TLs), phospholipids (PLs), triacylglycerols (TAGs), and cholesterol esters and waxes were analyzed using gas–liquid chromatography with a mass-selective detector and flame-ionized detector (GC-MS and GC-FID, respectively). Species-specific differences in the FA/alcohol profiles of the studied fishes were revealed. A directed deep-vise trend in the changes in the content and performance of certain FAs for the studied species was found. Along with this, a general character of dominance for monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which were discussed as food tracers, was revealed. MUFAs in the muscle tissues included dietary markers of zooplankton (copepods)—20:1(n-9) and 22:1(n-11), the content of which varied in association with the species—such that the biomarker Calanus glacialis predominated in muscles of B. antarcticus and C. hyperboreus prevailed in other studied species. Different strategies of compensatory adaptation to depth gradient in lipid metabolism among the studied species were discussed.

Length–weight relations of 16 mesopelagic fishes (Actinopterygii: Myctophiformes and Stomiiformes) from the eastern Mediterranean Sea

For many mesopelagic fishes, even basic knowledge regarding their biology is missing, greatly impeding their effective management. Here we present length–weight relations for 16 mesopelagic fishes sampled during research surveys in the Greek seas (eastern Mediterranean). The following species were studied: Benthosema glaciale (Reinhardt, 1837); Ceratoscopelus maderensis (Lowe, 1839); Diaphus holti Tåning, 1918; Diaphus metopoclampus (Cocco, 1829); Diaphus rafinesquii (Cocco, 1838); Hygophum benoiti (Cocco, 1838); Hygophum hygomii (Lütken, 1892); Lampanyctus crocodilus (Risso, 1810); Lobianchia dofleini (Zugmayer, 1911); Myctophum punctatum Rafinesque, 1810; Notoscopelus elongatus (Costa, 1844); Symbolophorus veranyi (Moreau, 1888) [Myctophidae]; Argyropelecus hemigymnus Cocco, 1829; Maurolicus muelleri (Gmelin, 1789) [Sternoptychidae]; Stomias boa (Risso, 1810); Chauliodus sloani Bloch et Schneider, 1801 [Stomiidae].With the exception of Diaphus holti and Symbolophorus veranyi, parameter b diverged significantly from isometry. Only two species (Benthosema glaciale and Chauliodus sloani) displayed negative allometry, while for the remaining 12 species a positive allometry was found, with the highest parameter b values estimated for Stomias boa and Diaphus rafinesquii. The median value of parameter b for all species was 3.236 and 50% of its values ranged from 3.173 to 3.323. Some variations of the parameter b were observed between our findings and other studies from the Atlantic and the western Mediterranean.

Metazoan parasites of some meso- and bathypelagic fish from the Perdido region, southern Gulf of Mexico

AbstractWe present a preliminary taxonomic survey of the metazoan parasites from meso- and bathypelagic fish hosts from the Perdido region, western Gulf of Mexico. In total, 187 individual fish were collected, belonging to five families and 12 species: Cyclothone acclinidens, Cyclothone alba, Cyclothone braueri, Cyclothone pallida, Cyclothone pseudopallida, Cyclothone sp., Manducus maderensis (Gonostomatidae), Notolychnus valdiviae (Myctophidae), Dibranchus atlanticus (Ogcocephalidae), Peristedion greyae (Peristediidae), Sternoptyx pseudobscura (Sternoptychidae), and Chauliodus sloani (Stomiidae). The metazoan parasites collected were the digenean Lethadena profunda from Cyclothone sp., four tetraphillidean larval cestodes from C. acclinidens, Cyclothone sp., C. sloani and P. greyae, a species of Echeneibotrium from D. atlanticus, a species of Anisakis from C. sloani, and the nematode Mooleptus rabuka from C. alba. Four of the parasite species found had already been previously recorded for the northern Gulf of Mexico. Additionally, we report two parasites not recorded before for meso- or bathypelagic fish in the entire Gulf of Mexico: M. rabuka from C. alba and Cyclothone sp.; and the copepods of the family Pennellidae from Cyclothone sp. and P. greyae.

Increase in mercury and methylmercury levels with depth in a fish assemblage

Despite their remoteness, deep-sea species bioaccumulate mercury, mostly in the form of the neurotoxin methylmercury (MeHg). Although the concentration of MeHg in the water column is known to increase with depth down to a maximum found at the base of the permanent thermocline, the knowledge of the relationship between MeHg content in marine species and their depth of occurrence is limited. We analyzed total mercury (THg) and MeHg concentrations in 25 species of fish inhabiting the Avilés Submarine Canyon and its adjacent shelf (Cantabrian Sea, North-East Atlantic) between 50 and 1868 m depth. THg concentrations ranged from 0.03 μg g−1 in wet weight (ww) in Chauliodus sloani and 4.0 μg g−1 ww in Coryphaenoides guentheri. 65% of the species analyzed exceeded 0.5 μg g−1 ww of MeHg, the maximum level for safe consumption recommended by FAO/WHO. THg and MeHg contents in muscle tissue increased with the depth of occurrence of fish and was influenced by their habitat so that demersal species had higher THg content than pelagic species inhabiting the same depth. MeHg accounted for an average 76 ± 3.9% of THg (mean ± SD), which is lower than that reported for other fish communities and can be explained by the high concentration of Hg present in sediments of the Nalón estuary, which discharges right off the Avilés Canyon head. The % of THg as MeHg was also strongly correlated with δ15N values, confirming that MeHg can be an indicator of the trophic identity of a species within the food web.

Musculotendinous system of mesopelagic fishes: Stomiiformes (Teleostei).

Every night the greatest migration on Earth starts in the deep pelagic oceans where organisms move up to the meso- and epipelagic to find food and return to the deeper zones during the day. One of the dominant fish taxa undertaking vertical migrations are the dragonfishes (Stomiiformes). However, the functional aspects of locomotion and the architecture of the musculotendinous system (MTS) in these fishes have never been examined. In general, the MTS is organized in segmented blocks of specific three-dimensional 'W-shaped' foldings, the myomeres, separated by thin sheets of connective tissue, the myosepta. Within a myoseptum characteristic intermuscular bones or tendons may be developed. Together with the fins, the MTS forms the functional unit for locomotion in fishes. For this study, microdissections of cleared and double stained specimens of seven stomiiform species (Astronesthes sp., Chauliodus sloani, Malacosteus australis, Eustomias simplex, Polymetme sp., Sigmops elongatus, Argyropelecus affinis) were conducted to investigate their MTS. Soft tissue was investigated non-invasively in E. schmidti using a micro-CT scan of one specimen stained with iodine. Additionally, classical histological serial sections were consulted. The investigated stomiiforms are characterized by the absence of anterior cones in the anteriormost myosepta. These cones are developed in myosepta at the level of the dorsal fin and elongate gradually in more posterior myosepta. In all but one investigated stomiiform taxon the horizontal septum is reduced. The amount of connective tissue in the myosepta is very low anteriorly, but increases gradually with body length. Red musculature overlies laterally the white musculature and exhibits strong tendons in each myomere within the muscle bundles dorsal and ventral to the horizontal midline. The amount of red musculature increases immensely towards the caudal fin. The elongated lateral tendons of the posterior body segments attach in a highly complex pattern on the caudal-fin rays, which indicates that the posterior most myosepta are equipped for a multisegmental force transmission towards the caudal fin. This unique anatomical condition might be essential for steady swimming during diel vertical migrations, when prey is rarely available.

Visual Gene Expression Reveals acone-to-rod Developmental Progression in Deep-Sea Fishes.

Vertebrates use cone cells in the retina for color vision and rod cells to see in dim light. Many deep-sea fishes have adapted to their environment to have only rod cells in the retina, while both rod and cone genes are still preserved in their genomes. As deep-sea fish larvae start their lives in the shallow, and only later submerge to the depth, they have to cope with diverse environmental conditions during ontogeny. Using a comparative transcriptomic approach in 20 deep-sea fish species from eight teleost orders, we report on a developmental cone-to-rod switch. While adults mostly rely on rod opsin (RH1) for vision in dim light, larvae almost exclusively express middle-wavelength-sensitive (“green”) cone opsins (RH2) in their retinas. The phototransduction cascade genes follow a similar ontogenetic pattern of cone—followed by rod-specific gene expression in most species, except for the pearleye and sabretooth (Aulopiformes), in which the cone cascade remains dominant throughout development, casting doubts on the photoreceptor cell identity. By inspecting the whole genomes of five deep-sea species (four of them sequenced within this study: Idiacanthus fasciola, Chauliodus sloani; Stomiiformes; Coccorella atlantica, and Scopelarchus michaelsarsi; Aulopiformes), we found that they possess one or two copies of the rod RH1 opsin gene, and up to seven copies of the cone RH2 opsin genes in their genomes, while other cone opsin classes have been mostly lost. Our findings hence provide molecular evidence for a limited opsin gene repertoire in deep-sea fishes and a conserved vertebrate pattern whereby cone photoreceptors develop first and rod photoreceptors are added only at later developmental stages.

Trophic ecology, habitat, and migratory behaviour of the viperfish Chauliodus sloani reveal a key mesopelagic player

Mesopelagic fishes are numerically the most important vertebrate group of all world’s oceans. While these species are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic activities, basic biological knowledge is still lacking. For instance, major uncertainties remain on the behaviour, ecology, and thus functional roles of mesopelagic micronektivores, particularly regarding their interactions with physicochemical features. Here, we examine the trophic ecology, habitat, and migratory behaviour of the viperfish (Chauliodus sloani)—a poorly known and abundant deep-sea species—to further understand the ecology and thus functional role of mesopelagic micronektivores. Moreover, we explore how physical drivers may affect these features and how these relationships are likely to change over large oceanic areas. The viperfish heavily preys on epipelagic migrant species, especially myctophids, and presents spatial and trophic ontogenetic shifts. Temperature restricts its vertical distribution. Therefore, its trophodynamics, migratory behaviour, and functional roles are expected to be modulated by the latitudinal change in temperature. For instance, in most tropical regions the viperfish stay full-time feeding, excreting, and serving as prey (e.g. for bathypelagic predators) at deep layers. On the contrary, in temperate regions, the viperfish ascend to superficial waters where they trophically interact with epipelagic predators and may release carbon where its remineralization is the greatest.

Length-Weight Relationships for Three Deep Sea Fish Species in North Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey

In the present study, length–weight relationships (LWRs) were estimated for three deep sea fish species, namely, Nettastoma melanura Rafinesque, 1810; Lampanyctus crocodilus (Risso, 1810); and Chauliodus sloani Bloch & Schneider, 1801 in the north-eastern Mediterranean Sea. A total of 102 fish samples were collected from Mersin Bay (Erdemli coast). Their length–weight relationship b values ranged between 2.458 and 3.496, and all regressions were found to be significant for all three species (p<0.001). This study is the first reference on length–weight relationships for these three deep-sea fish species from the North-eastern Mediterranean Sea coast of Turkey. Besides, Length–weight relationships for C. sloani and L. crocodilus were not yet available in Fishbase for the Eastern Mediterranean, and hence these results obtained from this study will be useful to researchers and fisheries biologists in the field.

Luminescence control of Stomiidae photophores

Nervous control of light emission from deep-sea mesopelagic fishes has been documented for several species. Studies on the nervous control of photophores from deep-sea luminescent fish, are mainly restricted to a pharmacological approach. For example, the light organs, called photophores, isolated from Argyropelecus hemygimnus and Maurolicus muelleri show a much higher sensitivity to adrenaline than to noradrenaline. According to these results and other information in different species, catecholamines are considered as main neurotransmitters triggering bioluminescence in deep-sea fishes. The present work is a study of the nervous control of the isolated photophores from two Stomiid fishes, Chauliodus sloani (the viperfish) and Stomias boa (the dragonfish) with the aim to determine the nature of the nervous control by pharmacological, biochemical and morphological approaches.Results show that, although the photophores of both species are sensitive to catecholamines, adrenaline is present in larger amount than noradrenaline in the light organs of C. sloani. Both catecholamines have different immunoreactive (IR) sites, noradrenaline showing a very diffuse localization as compared to adrenaline in C. sloani. On the contrary, only adrenaline is detected in the photocytes chamber and nerves innervating the photophore in S. boa. Knowing that the majority of dragonfishes exhibit a luminescent chin barbel, we also investigated the presence of catecholamines in this specific tissue in S. boa. Immunohistology reveals the presence of adrenaline within the tissue forming the chin barbel; adrenaline–IR is found in the connective tissue surroundings two group of muscle fibers and blood vessels in the stem but also around the multiple blood vessels located within the barbel bulb.Our results strongly support the adrenergic control of light emission in bioluminescent stomiid fishes.

Few But Relatively Large Prey: Trophic Ecology of Chauliodus sloani (Pisces: Stomiidae) in Deep Waters of the Central Mediterranean Sea

The trophic ecology of Chauliodus sloani (Stomiidae) was thoroughly investigated by stomach content analysis for the first time in the Mediterranean. Overall 206 individuals (64.0–260.0 mm SL) were collected from 2013 to 2015. C. sloani can be defined a specialist predator which feeds exclusively on mesopelagic fish belonging to Gonostomatidae, Myctophidae, Paralepididae, Phosichthyidae, Sternoptychidae and Stomiidae. Gonostomatidae (%IRI = 26.02), Myctophidae (%IRI = 24.77) and Sternoptychidae (%IRI = 24.35) were important food items for C. sloani. Maurolicus muelleri (%IRI = 36.43), Cyclothone braueri (%IRI = 28.26) and Vinciguerria attenuata (%IRI = 12.97) were the most important prey. Cases of cannibalism were also observed. The examination of food size spectrum, in relation to predator length, demonstrated that C. sloani developed a feeding strategy aimed to maximizing energy input and based on the capture of few and relatively large prey: more than 50% of prey items exceeded the value of 20% for ratio between prey and predator size (SL) and the 5.4% of prey measured more than 50% of predator size. Differences in food composition across seasons were found; C. braueri and M. muelleri were more abundant in autumn, V. attenuata during spring. Prey items mainly belongs to weakly vertical migrating fauna, usually concentrated at 400 m Deep Scattering Layer.

Deep-sea ichthyofauna from Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Egypt: Update and new records

This work sheds light on deep sea resources that update the list of deep sea ichthyoids fauna with new records from the Egyptian coast, Mediterranean Sea. Fish samples were collected from April to November 2015 at depths of 350–750m using deep red shrimp bottom trawlers. The presented fauna were constituted mainly of deep red shrimp (Aristeomorpha folicea and Aristeus antennatus) as target species followed by by-catch and discards which were represented by 36 fish species; Of them, 21 species were recorded previously. The rest of the species, were new ichthyofauna identified in fifteen species including 4 cartilaginous species (Centrophorus uyato, Etmopterus spinax, Hydrolagus mirabilis and Chimaera monstrosa), while the other 11 species were bony fishes (Chauliodus sloani, Diaphus metopoclampus, Sudis hyaline, Microstoma microstoma, Chlorophthalmus agassizi, Avocettina infans, Argyropelecus hemigymnus, Notacanthus bonaparte, Lampanyctus crocodilus, Centrolophus niger and Nettastoma melanurum). Centrophorus uyato was reported for the first time in the Levant Basin. The present findings added new species to the Egyptian ichthyofauna and raised the total known deep water fauna to 38 species, enhancing knowledge about such species requires continuous monitoring and studies on deep sea resources.

δ13C and δ15N in deep-living fishes and shrimps after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, Gulf of Mexico

The blowout of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) drill-rig produced a surface oil layer, dispersed micro-droplets throughout the water column, and sub-surface plumes. We measured stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in mesopelagic fishes and shrimps in the vicinity of DWH collected prior to, six weeks after, and one year after the oil spill (2007, 2010 and 2011). In 2010, the year of the oil spill, a small but significant depletion of δ13C was found in two mesopelagic fishes (Gonostoma elongatum and Chauliodus sloani) and one shrimp (Systellaspis debilis); a significant δ15N enrichment was identified in the same shrimp and in three fish species (G. elongatum, Ceratoscopelus warmingii, and Lepidophanes guentheri). The δ15N change did not suggest a change of trophic level, but did indicate a change in diet. The data suggest that carbon from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill was incorporated into the mesopelagic food web of the Gulf of Mexico.

Trophic habits of the Ommastrephid squid Illex coindetii and Todarodes sagittatus in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea

Squids Illex coindetii and Todarodes sagittatus were collected from commercial trawls in the NW Mediterranean Sea and their stomach contents were analyzed to describe and compare their feeding habits. Fish, crustaceans and squids were found in the stomach contents of both squid species; however T. sagittatus had a wider trophic spectrum composed by fifteen prey items more than I. coindetii. This difference was attributed to the availability of feeding resources in the water column and the larger size and deeper distribution of T. sagittatus. The index of relative importance showed that the crustacean Pasiphaea multidentata was the most important prey for both squids, and that I. coindetii fed secondly on Anchilomera blossevillei, Pasiphaea sivado and the fish Lestidiops sp., while T. sagittatus fed secondly on Phronima sedentaria and the fish Arctozenus risso. The feeding habits of the two squids varied for two prey items at the size interval between 9.1 and 21cm ML. This difference was due to the presence of the amphipod P. sedentaria and the squid Ancistroteuthis lichtensteinii in the stomach contents of T. sagittatus, which are species with deeper distributions. T. sagittatus larger than 21cm ML preyed on other crustaceans and fish, such as big Pandalidae crustaceans and gadiform fish. Finally, the %FO analysis showed that there were fifteen common prey species in the feeding habits of the two squids, but they did not have the same importance for each squid. I. coindetii fed mainly on Lestidiops sp., Chauliodus sloani and P. multidentata and T. sagittatus fed on A. risso and P. sedentaria. These species correspond to mesopelagic fish, decapod crustaceans and amphipods. This suggests that these species are easy to prey at different levels in the water column, which affects the predation and distribution of I. coindetii and T. sagittatus.

Five new records of fishes from the Arabian Sea coasts of Oman

New records of five fish species from the Arabian Sea coasts of Oman are reported: arrowhead dogfish Deania profundorum (one specimen), Sloane's viperfish Chauliodus sloani (nine specimens), moustache grouper Epinephelus chabaudi (one specimen); sackfish Neoepinnula orientalis (12 specimens) and the Natal duckbil, Bembrops platyrhynchus (11 specimens). All specimens were obtained from the Arabian Sea coasts of Oman during surveys by the trawler ‘Al-Mustaquila’ between 2006 and 2008.

Fish parasites in the Arctic deep-sea: Poor diversity in pelagic fish species vs. heavy parasite load in a demersal fish

A total of 219 deep-sea fishes belonging to five families were examined for the parasite fauna and stomach contents. The demersal fish Macrourus berglax, bathypelagic Bathylagus euryops, and mesopelagic Argentina silus, Borostomias antarcticus, Chauliodus sloani, and Lampanyctus macdonaldi were caught at 243–708 m trawling depth in the Greenland and the Irminger Sea in 2002. A total of 21 different parasite species, six Digenea, one Monogenea, two Cestoda, seven Nematoda, one Acanthocephala, and four Crustacea, were found. The parasite diversity in the meso- and bathypelagic environment was less diverse in comparison to the benthal. Macrourus berglax had the highest diversity (20 species), usually carrying 4–10 different parasite species (mean 7.1), whereas Bathylagus euryops harbored up to three and Argentina silus, Borostomias antarcticus, Chauliodus sloani and Lampanyctus macdonaldi each up to two species. Most Digenea, Cestoda, Nematoda, Acanthocephala, and Crustacea are known from a wide host range. Several of the encountered parasites occurred at a very low prevalence (<10%), indicating that the studied deep-sea fishes are most probably not instrumental to complete the parasite life cycles in the area of investigation. It is suggested that the lack of nutrients in the meso- and bathypelagial limits the abundance of potential first intermediate hosts of nematodes and cestodes, resulting in low infestation rates even of widely distributed, non-specific species. In contrast, the higher biomass in the benthic deep-sea environment increases the availability of potential intermediate hosts, such as molluscs for the digeneans, resulting in increased parasite diversity. Because many deep-sea fish have a generalistic feeding behavior, the observed different parasite diversity reflects a different depth range of the fish and not necessarily a specific fish feeding ecology.

Distribution of larval Stomiidae of the Brazilian central coast, southwest Atlantic Ocean (12°S–22°S)

This study was designed to describe the occurrence and distribution of Stomiidae along the Brazilian central coast. Three oceanographic cruises were made in the Brazilian central coast during the spring/1998, winter/1999 and autumn/2000. Stomiid larvae were very rare in the samples, occurring in 13% of the sampled stations. A total of 102 stomiid larvae were collected representing 11 species, some of which could only be identified to genus: Aristostomias sp., Astronesthes sp., Bathophilus sp., Eustomias sp., Melanostomias sp., Stomias sp., Chauliodus sloani, Flagellostomias boureei, Photonectes mirabilis, Photostomias guernei and Stomias affinis. All species identified have already been recorded from the Brazilian coast as adults, except for P. guernei, first recorded in this study. Most taxa were distributed both in the northern and southern regions of the study area, including the banks of the Vitória-Trindade Ridge. Stomias sp. was the most abundant taxon among all groups and was widely distributed along the study area. The species C. sloani and F. boureei were only collected in the south and north regions, respectively.

Feeding ecology of five fishes from the mid-slope micronekton community off southern Tasmania, Australia

We examine the feeding ecology of characteristic micronekton species inhabiting the mid-slope region (~700 to 1,500 m depths) off southern Tasmania. Five fishes, Diaphus danae, Hygophum hanseni, Lampanyctus australis (Myctophidae), Phosichthys argenteus (Phosichthyidae) and Chauliodus sloani (Chauliodontidae), were sampled by depth-stratified midwater trawling on a diel and seasonal basis. Overall, 74 prey taxa were identified from 2,132 stomachs. Euphausiids (mostly Euphausia spinifera and E. similis) and calanoid copepods (mostly Pleuromamma species) were the main prey of the three myctophids; P. argenteus ate fishes and decapods in addition to the euphausiids, while C. sloani ate only fishes. Copepods were less important in the diets of larger D. danae, L. australis and P. argenteus and were replaced by euphausiids in the myctophids and by fishes in P. argenteus. In autumn, when euphausiid biomass increased six-fold, all three myctophids and P. argenteus fed most intensively and consumed a high proportion of euphausiids. The three myctophids appeared to feed nocturnally. Differences in the timing and duration of feeding corresponded to differences in their spatio-temporal overlap with key prey. Daily rations of H. hanseni (1.93% dry-weight biomass) and L. australis (1.43%), estimated from data on stomach fullness, were typical for temperate myctophids and higher than that of the non-migratory P. argenteus (0.43%). The vertical flux of near-surface plankton production to the mesopelagic food web is based primarily on diel feeding in the upper water column (<500 m) rather than consumption of species that migrate seasonally into the deeper mesopelagic zone. Because species such as P. argenteus and C. sloani feed above the third trophic level, their predators, including the commercially important orange roughy, are feeding between levels four and five.

Mesopelagic fishes of the Arabian Sea: distribution, abundance and diet of Chauliodus pammelas, Chauliodus sloani, Stomias affinis, and Stomias nebulosus

Abstract Four species of predatory fishes – Chauliodus pammelas, Chauliodus sloani, Stomias affinis and Stomias nebulosus – were collected on two cruises to the Arabian Sea during 1995. We present data on the abundances, horizontal and vertical distributions, and diet of these fishes. We also discuss briefly the importance of the oxygen minimum zone and predation on myctophid fishes to the ecology of these mesopelagic predators. Chauliodus pammelas and C. sloani appear to have only partially overlapping horizontal distributions in the Arabian Sea, with C. pammelas more common to the north and C. sloani more common to the south. Our data support previous results suggesting that diel vertical migration is the norm for these species, with smaller individuals usually nearer to the surface and larger individuals tending to stay deeper. In contrast to Chauliodus, Stomias affinis and S. nebulosus appear to have largely overlapping horizontal distributions in the Arabian Sea. However, they may have slightly different vertical distributions, with S. affinis living slightly shallower (especially at night) than S. nebulosus. All four species spend most of their time in the oxygen minimum zone, entering the surface oxygenated waters (100–150 m) only at night (if at all). The diets of C. pammelas, C. sloani, and S. affinis consisted mainly of lanternfishes, Myctophidae, and other fishes. In contrast, S. nebulosus, the smaller of the two Stomias species, ate mostly copepods and other crustaceans. This differential feeding may allow the two Stomias species to co-occur. Three of these four stomiids appear to play an important role in predation on myctophid fish populations in the Arabian Sea.

Food spectrum of the deepwater squid Moroteuthis ingens (Cephalopoda: Onychoteuthidae) in New Zealand waters

Prey species of the deepwater squid Moroteuthis ingens were examined for 37 large specimens captured in New Zealand waters. Caecum contents were predominantly less than 80% full and covered a range of digestion stages. The diet consisted of fish (at least seven species, of which four were myctophids) and squid. The most abundant prey was the myctophid Lampanyctodes hectoris, which was represented by 1323 otoliths from 22 caeca. The second most abundant prey was viperfish (Chauliodus sloani) and/or dragonfish (Stomias boa), represented by 537 otoliths from 17 caeca. Individual squid appeared to ingest surprisingly large numbers of fish (up to 100) during a single feeding period and could achieve feeding rates greater than 10% of their body weight per day. While some males appeared to ingest larger numbers of L. hectoris, females targeted significantly larger individuals of L. hectoris thereby ingesting a greater biomass of fish.

Presence of coelenterazine in mesopelagic fishes from the Strait of Messina

Coelenterazine, a luciferine, and luciferase activity specific to coelenterazine were detected and assayed in various tissues of mid-water fishes, Argyropelecus hemigymnus, Chauliodus sloani, Myctophum punctatum, Vinciguerria attenuata and Cyclothone braueri. Coelenterazine was found mainly in digestive systems and photophores of these fishes, A large species to species variation was found: extremely high levels of coelenterazine and luciferase were found in the M. punctatum digestive system whereas only a very low level of coelenterazine was detected in C., braueri. Coelenterazine was detected in A. hemigymnus eggs supporting the hypothesis of a maternal transfer of luminous capabilities. Luciferase activity specific to coelenterazine was found in photophores as well as in various other tissues suggesting another (besides light emission) biological function for this enzymatic activity, Distribution of coelenterazine in all tissues of the individuals supports the hypothesis of the dietary acquisition of coelenterazine by these fishes.