Dasyscopelus asper

Dasyscopelus asper, previously Myctophum asperum,^[2] common name the prickly lanternfish, is a species of deep sea fish in the family Myctophidae, the "lanternfish".^[1][2][3]

Dasyscopelus asper
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Myctophiformes
Family:	Myctophidae
Genus:	Dasyscopelus
Species:	D. asper
Binomial name
Dasyscopelus asper (J. Richardson, 1845)
Synonyms[2]
Myctophum asperum Richardson, 1845 Scopelus asper (Richardson, 1845) Dasyscopelus naufragus Waite, 1904

Description

This species has large eyes^[4] and grows to a maximum total length of approximately 8.5 cm (3.3 in).^[3]

Distribution

Dasyscopelus asper is found in the following regions:^[3]

• Western Atlantic Ocean from 20° north to Brazil, and also occurs in the Gulf of Mexico.
• Eastern Atlantic Ocean, occurring from Mauritania to South Africa in the Agulhas water pockets.
• Northwest Atlantic near Canada.
• Indo-Pacific in the following currents:

• North and south equatorial currents
• Equatorial countercurrents
• East Australian and Agulhas currents

• Eastern Central Pacific.
• South China Sea and East China Sea

Larvae have also been found in the Taiwan Strait.^[3]

Habitat

This species is found at depths of between 425 and 750 metres during the day.^[3] At night it can ascend to depths of 125 metres to feed on plankton.^[4]