Patchwork lampfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Notoscopelus resplendens |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Myctophiformes |
| Family: | Myctophidae |
| Genus: | Notoscopelus |
| Species: |
N. resplendens
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| Binomial name | |
| Notoscopelus resplendens (Richardson, 1845)
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| Synonyms | |
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The Notoscopelus resplendens, also called the patchwork lampfish or patchwork lanternfish, is a type of fish. It belongs to the family called Myctophidae, which are known as lanternfish. You can find this fish in many parts of the world's oceans. It lives in the eastern and western Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and some areas of the Pacific Ocean. During the day, it stays in very deep water. But when night comes, it swims up closer to the surface. A Scottish scientist named John Richardson first described this fish in 1845.
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What Does It Look Like?
The patchwork lanternfish is a small fish. It can grow up to about 95 millimeters (or 3.7 inches) long. It has several fins that help it swim.
Fins and Lights
Its back fin, called the dorsal fin, has 22 to 23 soft rays. The fin on its belly, the anal fin, has 18 to 19 soft rays. Its side fins, the pectoral fins, have 12 to 13 soft rays. Male fish have a special row of 8 or 9 glowing, scale-like parts. These are found above their tail fin area. However, male fish do not have glowing organs above their eyes or on their cheeks.
Where Does It Live?
This fish lives in many warm parts of the ocean around the world. In the Atlantic Ocean, it can be found between about 40°N and 40°S latitude. There are also groups of these fish in the Indian Ocean, the western North Pacific, and the eastern Pacific.
Daily Ocean Journey
During the day, the patchwork lanternfish stays very deep, usually between 650 and 1000 meters (about 2,100 to 3,300 feet) below the surface. When it gets dark, it swims up to the top 300 meters (about 1,000 feet) of the ocean. This daily up-and-down movement is called daily vertical migration. However, young fish and those that are changing do not make this journey.
Is It Endangered?
The Notoscopelus resplendens is a very common fish. It lives in a huge area of the ocean. People do not usually fish for it, so it is not in danger from humans. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature says it is a species of least concern. This means it is not currently at risk of disappearing.
 | George Robert Carruthers |
 | Patricia Bath |
 | Jan Ernst Matzeliger |
 | Alexander Miles |
