Stomiidae
(Stomiatidae in Clofnam)
by R. H. Gibbs, Jr.
Moderate-sized fishes (to 40 cm or more), the body long and slender (depth 10-35 times in length), with hexagonal areas ('scales') on sides, covered by a gelatinous membrane in life. Head small, jaws somewhat curved upward, with moderately long fangs; a prominent slender barbel arising under chin, ranging from shorter than head to 3 1/4 SL, with a bulb and filaments at its distal end. Dorsal and anal fins both far back, close to tail; no dorsal adipose fin; two rows of prominent photophores on ventral part of body on each side; hexagonal areas each with one or more smaller photophores.
Fairly common in deep oceanic waters; mesopelagic to 1,000 m or more. Seldom observed alive. Some individuals, especially smaller ones, migrating to near-surface waters at night. Feeding on midwater fishes and crustaceans.
Genera 2; both in Clofnam area.
Recent revisions: Ege (1934), Morrow (1964), Gibbs (1969), Shcherbachev and Novikova (1976).