New record of mesopelagic lanternfish from Indian Ocean

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei J.P. Müller, 1845

Order: Myctophiformes Regan, 1911

Family: Myctophidae Gill, 1893

Bolinichthys nikolayi Becker, 1978

Collection: Central Indian Ocean, west of Addu City, Maldives, 0.87°S, 67.59°E, 380–600 m, 14.05.2015 (FORVSS 344 leg 1, St. 08), 45 m midwater trawl.

Voucher No.: CMLRE IO/SS/FIS/00459

Description: Fin formula: D 13, A 14, P 11, V 8. Ventral edge of interopercle smooth. Small post-ocular photophores absent. VLO 2–3 photophore diameters below lateral line. VO 5; VO2 highly elevated, touching line through PO4–SAO1; VO2–VO5 distinctly angulate. Distance between PVO1 and PVO2 less than or subequal to distance between Op1 and Op2; Infracaudal luminous tissue reaching to AOp1. Luminous scale at pelvic fin base absent; 5–7 luminous ‘scales’ above anal base.

Biological association: None.

Remarks: New record of mesopelagic lanternfish from Indian Ocean

Distribution: South Western Pacific Ocean and Central Indian Ocean. Depth range: 25–1760 m.

Distribution map:

Identified by: Meera K.M.

Publication: Meera K.M., Sanjeevan V.N., Raghu Prakash R., Hashim M. (2024) An updated checklist of myctophids of Western Indian Ocean with 6 new records. Regional Studies in Marine Science, 73: 103450.