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
Taxon lists: Current Australian list:
Commercial species list:
Standard Fish Names List:
Habitat: Pelagic, Epipelagic (0-200m, Oceanic)
Pelagic, Mesopelagic (200-1000m, Oceanic)
Parent Codes: 37 122930 Dasyscopelus spp.

Taxon Notes: First recorded from Australia by Paxton et al 2026 from WA. Paxton et al 2026 noted: "Two specimens from off northern WA have the deep body typical of D. selenops and D. sp. A. The major difference is the presence of both a well-developed SCO and a smaller ICO in both individuals, a rare occurrence in species of the 'Myctophum-complex', found in some female specimens D. spinosus and males of D. sp. C. Additionally, the number of gill rakers (total 20), is below the range of D. selenops and above the range of D. sp. A. Both specimens were collected in the 1980s, and neither is in good enough condition internally to determine the sex without histology. This appears to be an undescribed species, based on one AMS specimen off the Northwest Shelf, WA (18.38°S, 117.68°E) and one CSIRO specimen in the same general area (17.02°S, 120.22°E), both collected in the month of April of different years with bottom trawls between 390 and 420 m; both specimens are 62 mm SL."

Distribution Map: View detailed map

Modelled distribution shown as blue polygon (source: Australian National Fish Expert Distributions)
Updated on 2026-08-21
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Distribution Data: Expected species depth range is from 0 to 420 m.

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