CAAB - Codes for Australian Aquatic Biota

CAAB category: 37 - Pisces Fishes
Family: 37 122 Myctophidae (Lanternfishes) - show full list
Standard Name: [a lanternfish]
Organism Type: a lanternfish
Synonyms: Myctophum orientale Dasyscopelus orientalis
Taxon lists: Current Australian list:
Commercial species list:
Standard Fish Names List:
Habitat: Estuarine
Pelagic, Epipelagic (0-200m, Oceanic)
Pelagic, Mesopelagic (200-1000m, Oceanic)
Marine unspecified
Parent Codes: 37 122930 Dasyscopelus spp.

Taxon Notes: First recorded from Australia by Paxton et al 2026 from Qld, NSW. Paxton et al 2026 noted: "The apparent new species is based on four AMS specimens from southern NSW, previously misidentified as D. orientale (see Paxton et al., 1989; Hoese et al., 2006), two NMNZ specimens from New Zealand, including the only male, and one NMV immature specimen from off southern Qld (26.28°S). Although none of the specimens is fully mature and the SCO is expected to develop more with increasing size, the distinctly fewer number of total gill rakers than D. selenops and more slender body indicate an undescribed species. The presence of two immature specimens with the high GR count of D. selenops in the same area off southern NSW suggest these seven specimens are not just another population of D. selenops with different meristics. Japanese specimens of D. orientale in NSMT (four, 50–88 mm SL) and AMS (one, 50 mm SL) have caudal luminous organs similar to both species but differ in having 19–21 total gill rakers and body depth 3.8–3.9 in SL (see also Kawaguchi & Aioi, 1972). D. orientale is restricted to the western North Pacific (Becker, 1983)."

Record source: Paxton, J.R., Williams, A. & Hulley, P.A., 2026. Illustrated Keys to the Lanternfishes (Myctophidae: Myctophiformes) from Australian Waters, Technical Reports of the Australian Museum, Vol. 45: 1-112. doi:10.3853/j.1835-4211.45.2026.3016

CAAB - Codes for Australian Aquatic Biota - Taxon report