''Aristostomias'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

barbeled dragonfish Stomiidae is a family of deep-sea ray-finned fish, including the barbeled dragonfishes. They are quite small, usually around 15 cm, up to 26 cm. These fish are apex predators and have enormous jaws filled with fang-like teeth. They ar ...

es native to the ocean depths in the

Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contine ...

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

and

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...

oceans.

Red Light Bioluminescence

Production of red light bioluminescence

Similar to other deep-sea organisms that are capable of producing red light bioluminescence, including '' Pachystomias'', ''Aristostomias'' has large suborbital photophores that produce red-shifted cold light. In addition, ''Aristostomias'' has postorbital photophores that emit blue-green light.

Visual systems

Most meso- and bathypelagic fish are only able to see shortwave light, as their retinae possess rods with rhodopsins sensitive to blue light. ''Aristostomias'' is able to detect red-shifted light, as their retinae have long-wave absorbing rhodopsins and porphyropsins that can detect wavelengths of up to 590 nm. ''Aristostomias'' can detect red light at distances of up to 2 meters, suggesting that detection is used primarily for close-range intraspecific communication and short-range prey detection.

Species

There are currently six recognized species in this genus: * ''

Aristostomias grimaldii ''Aristostomias'' is a genus of barbeled dragonfishes native to the ocean depths in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. Red Light Bioluminescence Production of red light bioluminescence Similar to other deep-sea organisms that are c ...

'' Zugmayer, 1913 * ''

Aristostomias lunifer ''Aristostomias'' is a genus of barbeled dragonfishes native to the ocean depths in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. Red Light Bioluminescence Production of red light bioluminescence Similar to other deep-sea organisms that are c ...

Regan The family name Regan, along with its cognates O'Regan, O Regan, Reagan, and O'Reagan, is an Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Riagáin or Ó Ríogáin, from Ua Riagáin. The meaning is likely to have originated in ancient Gaelic ''ri'' ...

& Trewavas, 1930 * ''

Aristostomias polydactylus ''Aristostomias'' is a genus of barbeled dragonfishes native to the ocean depths in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. Red Light Bioluminescence Production of red light bioluminescence Similar to other deep-sea organisms that are c ...

& Trewavas, 1930 * ''

Aristostomias scintillans ''Aristostomias'' is a genus of barbeled dragonfishes native to the ocean depths in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. Red Light Bioluminescence Production of red light bioluminescence Similar to other deep-sea organisms that are c ...

'' ( C. H. Gilbert, 1915) (Shiny loosejaw) * ''

Aristostomias tittmanni ''Aristostomias'' is a genus of barbeled dragonfishes native to the ocean depths in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. Red Light Bioluminescence Production of red light bioluminescence Similar to other deep-sea organisms that are c ...

'' W. W. Welsh, 1923 (Loosejaw) * ''

Aristostomias xenostoma ''Aristostomias'' is a genus of barbeled dragonfishes native to the ocean depths in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. Red Light Bioluminescence Production of red light bioluminescence Similar to other deep-sea organisms that are c ...

& Trewavas, 1930

References

Stomiidae Marine fish genera Ray-finned fish genera Taxa named by Erich Zugmayer {{Stomiiformes-stub