Teleostei (teleosts) >
Stomiiformes (Lightfishes and dragonfishes) >
Stomiidae (Barbeled dragonfishes) > Melanostomiinae
Etymology: Photonectes: Greek, photos = light + Greek, nekton = swimmer (Ref. 45335).
More on authors: Regan & Trewavas.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; bathypelagic. Deep-water; 34°N - 26°S
Eastern Atlantic: Senegal to Guinea, and also Angola. Western Atlantic: USA to Bahamas, one record at 26°S 27°W.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 20.4 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4468)
Dorsal soft rays (total): 16; Anal soft rays: 18 - 20. Body elongate and moderately slender. Short, blunt nonprotrusible snout. Short chin barbel bearing large terminal bulb and long terminal appendage (Ref. 37039).
Body shape (shape guide): elongated.
Mesopelagic species (Ref. 27000).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Gibbs, R.H. and M.A. Barnett, 1990. Melanostomiidae. p. 308-337. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 1. (Ref. 4468)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 8.5 - 16.6, mean 11.8 °C (based on 119 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00302 (0.00116 - 0.00786), b=3.12 (2.89 - 3.35), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 4.2 ±0.73 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (15 of 100).
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