Longfin lanternfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Longfin lanternfish |
|
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: |
Diogenichthys
|
| Species: |
D. atlanticus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Diogenichthys atlanticus Tåning, 1928
|
|
The longfin lanternfish (Diogenichthys atlanticus) is a small, glowing fish that lives deep in the ocean. It's a type of lanternfish. These fish travel across vast ocean areas, meaning they are oceanodromous. They also lay eggs, which means they are oviparous.
Where the Longfin Lanternfish Lives
This fish lives in many parts of the world's oceans. You can find it in the Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, and Indian Ocean. It likes to live very deep underwater.
It usually lives between 18 meters (about 60 feet) and 1,250 meters (about 4,100 feet) below the surface. During the day, it stays deeper, from 400 to 930 meters down. At night, it swims a bit higher, from 18 to 1,050 meters deep.
What the Longfin Lanternfish Looks Like
The longfin lanternfish is a small fish. It can grow up to 2.9 centimeters (just over an inch) long. That's about the size of a paperclip!
It has special fins that help it swim. It has 11 to 12 dorsal finrays on its back. It also has 16 to 17 anal finrays on its underside. Plus, it has 14 pectoral finrays on its sides, like little arms.
Protecting the Longfin Lanternfish
Good news! The longfin lanternfish is a very common fish. There are lots of them in the ocean, and their numbers are staying steady. Scientists don't know of any big threats to this fish.
Because of this, the IUCN Red List says it is a "Least Concern" species. This means it's not in danger of disappearing. Many longfin lanternfish also live in special areas of the ocean that are protected.
