Stomiidae is a

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

of deep-sea

ray-finned fish Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fishes, is a class of bony fish. They comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. The ray-finned fishes are so called because their fins are webs of skin supported by bony or h ...

, 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 are also able to hinge the neurocranium and upper-jaw system, which leads to the opening of the jaw to more than 100 degrees. This ability allows them to consume extremely large prey, often 50% greater than their standard length.

Features

It is one of the many species of deep-sea fish that can produce their own light through a chemical process known as

bioluminescence Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by living organisms. It is a form of chemiluminescence. Bioluminescence occurs widely in marine vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as in some fungi, microorganisms including some ...

. A special organ known as a

photophore A photophore is a glandular organ that appears as luminous spots on various marine animals, including fish and cephalopods. The organ can be simple, or as complex as the human eye; equipped with lenses, shutters, color filters and reflectors, h ...

helps produce this light. The deep-sea dragonfishes have large heads, and mouths equipped with many sharp fang-like teeth. They have a long stringlike structure known as barbel, with a light-producing photophore at the tip, attached to their chin. They also have photophores attached along the sides of their body. A specific species of Stomiidae, the Chauliodus, cannot luminescence longer than 30 minutes without adrenaline. However, in presence of adrenaline, it can produce light for many hours. They produce blue-green light, the wavelengths of which can travel the farthest in the ocean. The deep-sea dragonfish waves its barbel back and forth and produces flashing lights on and off to attract prey and potential mates. Many of the species they prey upon also produce light themselves, which is why they have evolved to have black stomach walls to keep the lights concealed while digesting their meal in order to stay hidden from their predators.

Representative species gallery

File:Astronesthes niger.PNG, ''

Astronesthes niger ''Astronesthes niger'', commonly known as snaggletooth, is a species of small, deep sea fish in the family Stomiidae. It occurs in the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the Indian Ocean ...

'' File:Bathophilus vaillanti.jpg, ''

Bathophilus vaillanti ''Bathophilus'' is a genus of barbeled dragonfishes native to the ocean depths of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Ocean, Indian oceans. Species There are currently 16 recognized species in this genus: * ''Bathophilus abarbatus'' Michael Alvin B ...

'' File:Chauliodus danae.jpg, ''

Chauliodus danae ''Chauliodus danae'', or dana viperfish, is a species of viperfish in the family Stomiidae. The Dana Viperfish is mostly found in the bathyal zone The bathypelagic zone or bathyal zone (from Greek βαθύς (bathýs), deep) is the part of t ...

'' File:Echiostoma barbatum.jpg, ''

Echiostoma barbatum ''Echiostoma barbatum'', the Threadfin dragonfish, is a species of barbeled dragonfish and is the only known species in its genus. It is widespread through tropical to temperate waters in all oceans in mid to deep waters up to . This species grow ...

'' File:Eustomias trewavasae (no common name).gif, ''

Eustomias trewavasae ''Eustomias trewavasae'', the deepsea dragonfish, is a small abyssal barbeled dragonfish of the family Stomiidae, found worldwide in tropical and subtropical oceans at depths down to 1,500 m. Its length is up to TL. Named in honor of Ethelwynn ...

'' File:Grammatostomias dentatus.jpg, ''

Grammatostomias dentatus ''Grammatostomias'' is a genus of barbeled dragonfishes found in the Atlantic Ocean. Species There are currently 4 recognized species in this genus: * ''Grammatostomias circularis'' Morrow, 1959 * '' Grammatostomias dentatus'' Goode & T. H. Be ...

'' File:Idiacanthus atlanticus.jpg, ''

Idiacanthus atlanticus ''Idiacanthus atlanticus'', the black dragonfish, is a barbeled dragonfish of the family Stomiidae, found circumglobally in southern subtropical and temperate oceans between latitudes 25°S and 60°S, at depths down to . The species is sexual ...

'' File:Malacosteus niger (black).jpg, ''

Malacosteus niger ''Malacosteus niger'', commonly known as the black dragon fish, is a species of deep-sea fish. Some additional common names for this species include: northern stoplight loosejaw, lightless loosejaw, black loosejaw, and black hinged-head.Harold, A. ...

'' File:Melanostomias melanops.jpg, ''

Melanostomias melanops ''Melanostomias'' is a genus of barbeled dragonfishes. Species There are currently 16 recognized species in this genus: * ''Melanostomias bartonbeani'' A. E. Parr, 1927 (Scaleless black dragonfish) * '' Melanostomias biseriatus'' Regan & Trewa ...

'' File:Neonesthes capensis (no common name).gif, ''

Neonesthes capensis ''Neonesthes capensis'', the Cape snaggletooth, is a lightfish of the family Stomiidae, found in all tropical and subtropical oceans except the north Pacific, at depths of between 70 and 1,500 meters. Its length is between 10 and 17 centimeters. ...

'' File:Opostomias micripnus.jpg, ''

Opostomias micripnus ''Opostomias micripnus'', commonly known as the obese dragonfish, is a species of deep-sea ray-finned fish of the family Stomiidae found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. The species was described in 1878 by Albert Günther Albert ...

'' File:Pachystomias microdon.jpg, ''

Pachystomias microdon ''Pachystomias microdon'', the smalltooth dragonfish, is a species of barbeled dragonfish found in the oceans at depths of from . This species grows to a length of SL. This species is the only known species in its genus. Red Light Biolumin ...

'' File:Photonectes gracilis.jpg, ''

Photonectes gracilis ''Photonectes'' is a genus of fish in the family Stomiidae found in Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean. Species There are currently 23 recognized species in this genus: * ''Photonectes achirus'' Regan & Trewavas, 1930 * '' Photonectes albipenn ...

'' File:Photostomias atrox.JPG, ''

Photostomias atrox ''Photostomias'' is a genus of barbeled dragonfishes. Species There are currently six recognized species in this genus: * ''Photostomias atrox'' (Alfred William Alcock, Alcock, 1890) * ''Photostomias goodyeari'' Christopher Philip Kenaley, Kenal ...

'' File:Stneb u0.jpg, ''

Stomias nebulosus ''Stomias'' is a genus of barbeled dragonfishes. They live in the mesopelagic zone of all oceans and show diel vertical migration and sexual dimorphism (males are smaller, have larger eyes and larger postorbital photophores than females. Specie ...

References

External links

Science Alert">ScienceAlert, Science Alert
article with images and video*
Review of the Astronesthid Fishes

Malacosteus niger

The Deep Sea ocean biology

Science and the Sea, ''Dragonfish''

Stomiidae, Ray-finned fish families {{Stomiiformes-stub