Phosichthys argenteus, the silver lightfish, a species of lightfish and the only member of the genus Phosichthys, is found in deep subtropical waters of all oceans, from depths of 500 to 2,000 m. Its length is between 10 and 30 cm. They are bioluminescent fishes, possessing rows of photophores along their sides, with which they hunt planktonic invertebrates, especially krill.
| Phosichthys argenteus | |
|---|---|
.gif)
| |
| Drawing by Dr Tony Ayling | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Stomiiformes |
| Family: | Phosichthyidae |
| Genus: | Phosichthys F. W. Hutton, 1872 |
| Species: | P. argenteus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Phosichthys argenteus F. W. Hutton, 1872
| |
References
edit- Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Phosichthys argenteus". FishBase. March 2006 version.
- Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8
- Photichthys argenteus in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
 | This order Stomiiformes (dragonfish and other stomiiforms) related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |