Notoscopelus bolini facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Notoscopelus bolini |
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| Notoscopelus bolini | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Myctophiformes |
| Family: | Myctophidae |
| Genus: | Notoscopelus |
| Species: |
N. bolini
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| Binomial name | |
| Notoscopelus bolini Nafpaktitis, 1975
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| Synonyms | |
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The Bolin's Lanternfish (Notoscopelus bolini) is a type of lanternfish. It belongs to the family called Myctophidae. You can find this fish in the northern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. A scientist named Basil Nafpaktitis first described it in 1975. He named it after another marine biologist, Rolf Ling Bolin.
What Does the Bolin's Lanternfish Look Like?
The Bolin's Lanternfish has special features that make it different from other lanternfish. Adult males do not have a glowing spot near their tail. Instead, they have large patches of glowing tissue on their cheeks and above their eyes. These glowing patches are separated from the eye by dark skin.
Fish found in the Atlantic Ocean can grow up to about 102 millimeters (4 inches) long. However, those living in the Mediterranean Sea are a bit smaller. They usually reach a maximum length of about 87 millimeters (3.4 inches).
Where Does the Bolin's Lanternfish Live?
This fish lives in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. In the North Atlantic, it is found mainly from about 50°N to 35°N latitude. This area is mostly east of 50°W longitude.
You can also find them in specific areas. These include waters around the Canary Islands and off the coast of Mauritania. In these places, cold, nutrient-rich water rises from the deep ocean. The Bolin's Lanternfish also lives in the deep parts of both the eastern and western Mediterranean Sea.
This fish makes a daily journey up and down in the water. During the day, it stays very deep, usually around 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) below the surface. But at night, it swims up closer to the surface. It rises to about 125 meters (410 feet) from the surface to find food.
What Does the Bolin's Lanternfish Eat?
Scientists have studied what deep-sea fish eat in the northwestern Atlantic. They found that the Bolin's Lanternfish mostly eats tiny shrimp-like creatures called krill. It also eats smaller amounts of copepods, which are tiny crustaceans. Sometimes, it eats the larvae (baby fish) of other fish.
The Bolin's Lanternfish eats its food at night. This is when it swims up to the surface waters. It does not feed when it is in the deep waters during the day.
